The Countdown to Matrimony
by Lost Fanfiction
Summary: After two years of being engaged, Ranma and Akane start attempting to deal with their various suitors. It, naturally, doesn't come easily. (By Denise Cameron. Story published here because all websites it is on have vanished.)
1. The Order of Things

This story was written by Denise Cameron. I am posting it because there is no other easily available website that this story can be read on. If the author of this story wishes to talk to me about the posting of it, contact me using the email in my profile.

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><p><strong>Part 1: The Eternally Lost Boy<strong>

**Chapter 1: The Order of Things**

_"You never say what you feel.  
>Love can't go on with just one.<br>Sayanora my heart!  
>I want you back in my arms."<em> - Equal Romance, Ranma 1/2

Akane Tendo felt heavy-hearted as she walked home from school. It was a beautiful day, yet her eyes were focused on the ground. It had been a long week, and half of it had been spent in an emotional whirlwind. She had almost been married to Ranma Saotome, her fiance of two years. Or at least, her fiance in name. When had they started feeling as though they really were engaged? Or had they? Akane's knuckles turned white from gripping on her schoolbag, and she resisted the urge to fix the hair that was being flipped around by the light breeze. Her long, blue school dress and white shirt were being ruffled as well.

Over and over in her mind she played back that moment when Ranma had said he loved her. It was soon followed by the memory of his hesitation, even after seeing her in the wedding dress. She knew she had been jumping the gun when she had finally agreed to go along with her father's plans. She knew it, in her gut, but still played her role. A girl could dream, couldn't she? It wasn't like all was lost either, and yet, she couldn't help feel as though they were back at square one.

"Idiot," she said under her breath, giving an innocent rock a fierce kick. It skittered away, but to her surprise came right back and bounced off of her toe lightly. Looking up, she couldn't decide whether to smile or scowl at the figure that stood before her.

"Hey," said a casual voice. It was always casual, Ranma's voice, which could be either comforting or maddening. After deciding that she didn't want to be teased just then, she continued walking towards him, face passive. She planned to just casually greet him back, then continue on her way, and hopefully he'd continue on his way as well. He would, wouldn't he? He wouldn't linger? If he lingered, he'd tease her as he always did, and though punching him would feel good she just wasn't in the mood.

The figure in front of her was a handsome boy with long black hair, styled in a pigtail at the nape of his neck. His eyes were a dark blue, and he wore a red Chinese style shirt with black pants. A handsome boy certainly, in a mischievous, childish way. His posture spoke of great confidence, and laid back expression of his current ease in walking, without an obvious care in the world.

"Hi," she replied. The boy, Ranma, turned about face and began walking along with her, about half a pace in front and to the side. They normally walked home from school, but for the past couple of days Ranma had been taking off early. She often wondered where he went to, but told herself it was none of her business. They may be engaged, but she didn't own him. And she definitely didn't want to start acting like she did.

Looking out of the corner of her grey eyes, she noticed a small tear on Ranma's shirt. Tilting her head to one side, she raised her eyes to Ranma's face questioningly. He didn't usually get tears in his clothing from just walking around. Had he been fighting? The latter noticed her curious gaze, and returned it with interest.

"Somethin' on your mind?" he asked, walking with his hands behind his head, elbows stretched out. His walk sometimes reminded her of a strutting rooster, but she never mentioned this. Not yet, at least.

"You have a rip in your shirt."

She averted her eyes to be in front of her instead of looking at him. Ranma looked down, squinted at his shirt, and immediately put his arms down to cover it.

"What about it?"

"I can't be concerned? Honestly, Ranma. You don't seem to be hurt, anyway."

He wasn't hurt. Even if he had been in a fight, he wasn't hurt, so the tear in his shirt wasn't a problem. Satisfied, she dropped the issue, still feeling a small urge to be alone. But Ranma kept the pace, and shook his head.

"I'm fine, it's no big deal."

Akane nodded, and they continued to walk along in silence. An awkward silence, that wanted to say more, but didn't. Why was he still following her? Couldn't he feel her aura pushing him away?

_Auras don't quite work like that...,_ she reminded herself, holding back a scowl. Well, Ranma appeared there to stay for a while. She may as well get used to it, and accept the company of her fiancé.

There weren't many people walking around them at this point. There was a large fence, on the other side of Ranma, with water below it. On the other side of Akane was the street, lacking in cars as usual. People used their own feet or bicycles more then anything else to get by in their town, which made for rather quiet streets. Most of the time, anyway. The sound of children playing became more apparent as they were approaching a nursery.

"So what about you?" asked Ranma, kicking a stone out of the way. It landed several meters ahead of them.

"Huh?"

_Oh great, he noticed. Can't get much by him, anymore. _In a way, she was relieved that he was asking about her. It was something that they did have to talk about. _But why right now?_ She knew she didn't have to precisely tell him, just because he asked. His engagement to her wasn't a full access pass to her mind and thoughts, after all. Looking up at his face, though, she thought she did see a spark of interest. And was that concern? On Ranma's face? It intrigued her just enough to drop her defenses, barely, and continue.

"I was just thinking. About what my father said." Her face warmed slightly, and she hoped she wasn't blushing.

"About...oh. Right, yeah. Have you, uhh...?"

"No! Not yet, anyway. I was, uhh...well, I didn't see Gosunguki today, and I want to start small, before going to Kuno. Are you really sure he's that serious about me? Seems fairly innocent." All images of Gosunkugi, the shy, loner classmate, were only brief ones of him in class. Passive memories, where nothing happened and he didn't even speak to her. But he had before, hadn't he? Maybe he had tried, and she had unintentionally blown him off. She hoped that wasn't the case; she didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, and certainly not someone who seemed as innocent as Gosunkugi.

"Believe me, 'kane, he has it for ya. Bad. And with that type of guy, if he can get even somethin' as small as a smile from you...he'll sink his hooks in, and never let go. Ya need to tell him bluntly, and tell 'im fast." The tone of his voice sounded as though he were talking about a game, and not breaking someone's heart.

"I will, I will. You don't have to tell me that."

"You asked."

"I know I asked!" said Akane, perhaps louder then she intended. Ranma looked at her out of the corner of his eye, then stopped. The object of his attention kept walking on for a pace, then stopped as Ranma firmly grabbed her wrist. She swallowed, feeling the knot of wanting to be alone spasm. The feel of Ranma grabbing her wasn't an intimate touch, though; it was a normal touch. A necessary one, in his mind no doubt. So she allowed it, though wondered at it still. Had she been too harsh? But he had annoyed her. Her tone was justified. Wasn't it?

"Akane." His voice was rough, but commanding enough that Akane let him keep her in place, narrowing her eyes. Yes, she had probably been too harsh just then. Not that his feelings seemed hurt. Why was he stopping her? He never ended fights like this, by physically blocking her way and without retort.

"What?" They stood for a moment, looking at each other, then Ranma suddenly noticed he was still holding her wrist. He let it go, then smirked. Any spell of confusion that had come over Akane was broken; this was normal Ranma. Whatever he had been about to do, it was gone now, and she felt her insides settle with that knowledge. Once more she let herself sink into her worries and concerns, and once more she just wanted to be alone.

"C'mon, you take everything so seriously. You gotta lighten up."

"But this is serious! Don't you think, at all?" Ranma said nothing, and soon she put her head down. _He's got to take it seriously...take me seriously...or else...or else..._

"Have you talked to anyone yet?" Ranma's smirk turned into a frown.

"Still workin' on it. I'm coming up with a plan to tell Shampoo; may as well break it to the most violent one first. You have it easy, Akane. At least the guys don't practically try to kill you."

They began walking again, towards the Tendo house. At least, that's where Akane was going. _Wasn't Ranma going somewhere else just now?_

"Oh, I'm sure Kuno could get pretty close to that by accident. If I let him," she commented, a flash of the sword totting Casanova coming to her mind unbidden.

"Yeah, but what about-" began Ranma, before he stopped himself, and also stopped in his tracks. Akane turned to one side to face him. There wasn't anyone else, was there? Of course there couldn't be anyone else. He couldn't possibly mean the general student body of males, either. They had long ago stopped pursuing her; they knew their places. Unless there was another one, like Gosunkugi, who Ranma had deemed a threat.

"What about who?" Immediately she recognized his guilty face, and fixed him a stare. She had been told more then once that her gaze could really penetrate sometimes, and Ranma lowered his eyes. For a moment. He was hiding something! She was sure of it. Right there, in the corner of his eyes. Bouncing off of his aura. She felt her anger well up as she scowled at him, wondering what it was he was hiding.

"Nothing, I just forgot somethin'. I was actually on my way to meet Ryoga." Digging around in his pants pockets, he soon found a paper, straightened it, and presented it for Akane's scrutiny. This wasn't what he had been hiding. It couldn't be...but when she shot him a look, the guiltiness had faded. Slightly. Frowning and feeling as though she had been played the fool, she checked over the paper, reading it carefully.

"A challenge? For what?" She remembered Ryoga being upset about something at the wedding, but Ranma wouldn't tell her what it was about. It had been the last time she had seen him, and she had assumed he had gone on a journey again. Or at least, tried to. Ryoga often seemed to get lost, going on journeys.

"Dunno. But uhh...why don'tcha head home, Akane? It shouldn't take long. Ryoga probably won't even be there, the challenge is only four days old," he said, starting to back up in the direction Akane had come from. She felt torn. Here he was, finally letting her be alone again, but now he had filled her mind with pieces of information. Another suitor? Maybe? Yes, no? A battle with Ryoga? Why, what for? She stiffened, trying to decide which path to take.

"Are you sure? I have time, I can watch." She took a step towards him, and Ranma half turned.

"No, go home, okay? You'll just be in the way."

"Why you! Jerk! Here I am concerned, and you say THAT to me?"

That settled it. If she had to be in the company of her fiancé for one more moment, he would be sitting in the ditch she knew was on the other side of the gate, sputtering dirty water and sporting a red hairdo.

"We gotta study for exams right? Go home, and get started. I know you want to, you keep talking about it. I'll join you later. Bye!" With a quick, odd bow, Ranma was off again.

"But..." Akane took another step towards him, the internal fire fading with his footsteps. She sighed, and shook her head. _Why does he always have to do that?_ Despite the insults, he was partially right. It was just Ryoga, too, no sense in her being there if she had to study. Him and Ryoga were friends. The super-strong boy wouldn't really hurt Ranma. At least, not anymore.

The breeze followed her as she headed back home.

Ranma had a good point about the exams, too. She was surprised he had mentioned those; he wasn't very eager about the whole process, from studying, to taking the exams themselves. They were in their final year of high school, and this would be the hardest thing thrown at them yet. Although part of her wanted to run after Ranma for various, conflicting reasons, another part made herself go back home. The stronger part. The logical part, she liked to think. Without another glance back, she straightened her posture and headed home.

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><p>Ranma Saotome jumped on to the thin railing, running on it a few paces before jumping up to the top of a cart, then moving back to a low stone wall and running on that. He always liked being in high places; he could see more, and train. Ranma's life so far had been one long, never-ending training session, and he had never thought to do otherwise.<p>

With a leap and a small grunt, he cleared a space between gates then tumbled to the ground, continuing at a slower jog. Turning around, he checked for his fiancee and sighed with relief when he didn't see her behind him.

_Sorry, Akane, but I need to do this alone._ Turning around, he kept up his pace to his destination. The challenge from Ryoga was technically true, but Akane had obviously not noticed the lack of a date on the challenge. It was really an old one that he had found laying around his room, and he had brought it today to use in case Akane wondered why he was running off to meet Ryoga. The latter was camped out in one of the parks in the town, and Ranma had told him to stay there so he could find him. He needed to have a talk with the pig-boy, despite his better judgement.

It had been a close call, when he was talking with Akane. She didn't know yet that she really had three suitors, not just two. It amazed him how she could not see what was before her eyes, but that's how it was. Ryoga was much too shy to confess his love, despite repeated attempts. Instead, he'd cuddle with Akane as P-chan, hiding behind his curse. Little did she know that if she ever added hot water to P-chan, she'd end up with Ryoga. A nude Ryoga, at that. All the more reason to keep her from finding out that way, in his mind at least.

When he arrived at the park, he saw a tree with a tire swing, an iron-made playground with swings, a slide, and a see-saw all on sand. There were a few kids scattered about, and a small group playing tag to one side. Over by the trees, not too far from the tireswing, was an orange tent. Ryoga's tent, he reasoned. Jogging up to it, he stood in front of the doorway and tapped on it to make the fabric bulge inwardly. Immediately, he heard shuffling from within.

"Hey, Ryoga," he said, standing up and waiting. Soon, the zipper opened, and Ranma could see a head of black hair, half tamed by a yellow and black bandanna. Letting himself in, Ranma slid into the tent then closed the entranceway behind him. This was a very familiar process, to him. For almost two years now, since Ryoga had been back in his life, they had a friendly rivalry going. Sometimes he hated him, other times he just wanted a sparring partner. For the most part, he did like Ryoga, despite certain emotional difficulties he had. Especially when it came to Akane.

The tent was fairly small and had a large blanket on the ground. To one side was Ryoga's sleeping roll and a pillow, as well as a pack, his umbrella, and other items. Ryoga wore a yellow shirt and black pants, with laced up brown boots. He gave Ranma a nonchalant look, and poured some hot tea from a kettle into two cups. After handing one to Ranma, he sipped from his own. Steam from the cup moistened his face, and he balanced it on his knee when he was done.

"Ranma," he said, nodding in acknowledgment. His face was expressionless, maybe thoughtful if anything. Ranma had a few quick sips of his tea, then looked at Ryoga. It was time to get down to business. He wasn't sure how easy it would be; would he have to drag Ryoga outside and beat the sense into him? He hoped he didn't have to. Just the thought of what he was doing alone felt foreign; the quicker he could get in, say his piece, and get out, the better. His only worry was that Ryoga would be his stubborn self, and not listen to reason.

"I think ya know why I'm here."

Ryoga put his head down, looking at his cup. Definitely a stubborn look. But Ranma held firm to his plan of action.

"Yeah, I think I do." He blinked once, his brown eyes looking downtrodden. Ranma leaned forward, focusing on those eyes. _Damn right you think you do..._

"You have to tell her. Enough beatin' around the bush."

"I don't have to tell her...and why should I, really? It would only be so she could reject me. For you." It appeared as though Ryoga may crush his cup, but it managed to stay intact. For now. Smirking, Ranma raised a hand as though to brush away his comment. He was taking the stubborn route, was he? Not with Ranma Saotome there. Sure, he had done it before, and been near successful. But this time would be different. Even if he did have to drag Ryoga out of the tent and beat him into submission.

First though, Ranma had his trump card. Akari. One thing he hadn't had before, all those times Ranma had tried to get him to stay away from Akane.

"So? You have Akari now! Come on, isn't she good enough for ya? Face it, Akane is just..." Ranma's tongue wouldn't let him get out the last words, and became a fat, foreign organism in his mouth.

_Why do I always have trouble saying it?_ Ranma shook his head, as though to make the words obey him and come out as they should. It didn't matter. The point was to push Ryoga over to Akari, not bring in his feelings about Akane. A sinking sensation in his stomach told him he had messed up, and the anger suddenly present in Ryoga's posture only confirmed that. _Moron, he still loves Akane more then Akari...that idiot..._

"Yours? I know. And yet, you can't say it anymore. When you thought Akane was going to die, you yelled it. You practically roared, "I love you, Akane!" It echoed off the walls of the cave, you know." Ryoga looked at Ranma smugly as his battle aura prickled. This was not the time for that. They were supposed to be discussing Ryoga's feelings for Akane, not Ranma's. Especially since Ranma wasn't even completely sure himself how he felt about his own fiancee.

"So you've said." That memory was still fuzzy, but Ryoga wasn't the only one to insist it had been said. He did love Akane. Didn't he? But he had been so scared that day, so incredibly panicked, he wasn't even sure still if the word love had come from his mouth in relief at seeing Akane alive, or not. If he actually had the feelings to back it up.

"You don't really love her?" Ranma looked as though he were going to be angry, but then a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. So Ryoga wanted a confession, did he? Wanted to play with Ranma? Well he had picked the wrong person to challenge. Accepting, Ranma forced his own sea of feelings aside, concentrating on Ryoga. He was going to frustrate that boy into submission if he had to, and then Ranma would get the topic back to where it was supposed to be, and make Ryoga give up on Akane. Piece of cake.

"Feh. Does it matter?" Ryoga rolled his eyes.

"Still...you know this isn't going to be easy."

Ranma breathed a sigh of relief, though the part of him that childishly wanted to play with Ryoga's feelings was disappointed. He had stopped fighting, for some reason. Maybe he had sensed what was coming, and backed down before it was too late. Rare for Ryoga, but if depressed enough, it did happen.

"Hey, I know. But ya gotta do it. Simple as that. You could do it tonight, Akane should be home by now, and we're gonna be studying. Perfect chance. Just show up, and I'll make sure you can get some time with her." _And I can get a break from studying! Excellent plan._ Ryoga shifted his position uncomfortably, as though he had just noticed that he was sitting on pointy rocks.

"Then you get her for the rest of the night. Heh. Sounds fair."

"We're just gonna be studyin', anyway," said Ranma, standing up and feeling accomplished. The first part was done. Although he noted that Ryoga hadn't exactly said yes. He would do it though. A no hadn't been heard either. He had to do it. As he was about to leave, Ryoga cleared his throat.

"Hey, you guys haven't..." Ranma turned around and crouched to be eye level with Ryoga.

"Haven't what?"

"You know...kissed? I mean..." Ranma tilted his head, fighting off a prickly, warm feeling at the thought. _He's such a masochist sometimes...he's not going to like any answer I give him. One way, and he'll think I'm wasting her. Another way, and he'll be depressed again._

"What, that uncute tomboy? You gotta be kidding me." Then he unzipped the tent, jumped out, and zipped it back up. He was sure he heard the sound of a cup crumbling as he left.

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><p>As soon as Ranma vacated the tent, a short figure standing by the swing tree raised her head. She wore a plain orange dress, and her hair was short and cropped, her bangs partially over her eyes.<p>

"Ranma, you idiot," said Nabiki Tendo under her breath. Once Akane's older sister saw that Ranma was gone, and had not paid an ounce of attention to her, she made her way out of the park.

She had suspected for the longest time that Ryoga liked Akane. To the point of wanting to tell Akane almost...almost. For a price, she would have. But she did care for Akane still, and she didn't see the need to have Ryoga forced to confess his love, then be tossed aside. It would be hard on both of them, for him to confess. Despite how obvious he had been about it in the past. Painfully obvious. Nabiki shook her head. _She doesn't see half what I do._ With a slight swaying motion to her hips, she calmly made her way out of the park. Although she hadn't decided yet to tell Akane what was going on, she thought she should talk to Ranma. Looking up, she tried to see if he was still visible from where she was. A hint of a red shirt could be seen, but she wasn't positive it was him. He was too far away for her to catch up to him, anyway.

_No need to rush, now,_ she reprimanded herself._ I need a plan, first. Ryoga will probably come tonight, but I doubt he will actually confess. Not that easily, and not after those lovely closing words of Ranma's. He needs to have something good come of this. Hmm._

Turning on her heel, Nabiki headed back to Ryoga's tent, mentally making up the script to be used on Ryoga.

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><p>Reaching out, Akane tilted the clock on the dresser, then put it back into place as she took in what time it was. Five o'clock already. Supper would be coming up soon, and she had already been at the books for a good hour. Although she didn't want to admit it, she was getting bored with the material she was studying. Math wasn't bad, and neither was chemistry, but she hated languages. <em>I'd probably like them more if English wasn't so complicated.<em>

Picking up the cup of tea from her desk, she sipped it to soothe her growling stomach. She hadn't eaten supper with her family, not tonight, not all week. Instead, Kasumi would bring up a tray of food so she could study and not have to waste time being distracted downstairs. Ironically, this just turned into her being hungry upstairs, begging for a distraction.

She needed Ranma there, to teach him. Somehow, she managed to learn more when she was trying to show someone else how to do something. Even Ryoga would do; she had tutored him before, though that had been short lived.

Ranma's notes were piled neatly on one corner of the desk, waiting for him to get back and use them. Usually, they just used Akane's notes, since she was more likely to stay awake in class and take them. But she still wanted Ranma to take his own notes; she couldn't do everything, anyway, and she didn't want Ranma to think she was tutoring him solely for his benefit.

Hearing the sound of shuffling in the hallway, she leaned back in her chair to glance at her door. It was closed, and she fixed her gaze on the knob, waiting for it to turn and for someone to come into the room. Ranma would knock, wouldn't he? She found herself not being able to remember, but hoped he would have the sense to knock.

Soon she did hear a knock, but it wasn't the sort of knock Ranma would do. It was slow and soft, accompanied by a matching voice.

"Akane, may I come in?" called her eldest sister, Kasumi. Getting up, Akane walked over to the door and opened it. Kasumi stood there, wearing a white apron over her yellow dress. Her long brown hair was tied in a ponytail, and she wore a pleasant smile. In her hands she held a tray with dishes of food on it.

"Thanks, Kasumi," she said, trying to hide how hungry she was. Quickly, she took the tray and walked into the room to set it on the desk.

"Is the studying going well?" Kasumi asked.

"Oh, umm, not bad. It's really easy, don't worry." She lifted the cover on a dish of curried pork, and took her chopsticks in hand to sample a bite. "This is really good Kasumi, I appreciate it," said Akane, turning back to her older sister. Kasumi just smiled, and nodded.

"I'm glad that you like it. I kept Ranma's to one side downstairs. Make sure that you tell him to get it in the kitchen when he returns, please. I have an errand to run," said Kasumi, turning to the door.

"Sure. He shouldn't be long...I think," said Akane, looking back to the food. _I hope he isn't long...that idiot, where is he anyway? Still fighting?_ She didn't hear Kasumi begin to close the door, then open it again enough to allow her to look at her younger sister.

"He will be here, Akane. He always comes back to you; he's your fiancé," she said, in her ever hopeful voice. Akane put on an agreeable expression as she looked at her. It wasn't exactly a comforting phrase. What did him being her fiancé matter? He had been her fiancé for two years, and many times in that period he had been a jerk, or late, or missing, or plain blowing her off. But that was not what Kasumi wanted to hear. And if she did not say what Kasumi wanted to hear, her eldest sister would pursue, encourage, try and lift her spirits. She didn't want her spirits lifted. She wanted Ranma where he was supposed to be, and wanted to stop worrying over the idiot in the meantime.

"I know."

Kasumi's head bobbed, satisfied, and then she exited the room. Slowly, Akane eased herself back into her chair, and began eating. Having something in her stomach managed to help her concentration, at least, but her food managed to disappear rather fast. She was disappointed when she saw that the last of the curry was gone.

Getting up, she picked up the tray and walked over to her door to have a peek at the hallway, but saw no one at either end. As was routine, she put the tray down to one side against the wall to be taken downstairs when she thought of it next. Taking one last look out into the hall, she frowned at it's feeling of emptiness.

_Where is everyone?_ Kasumi was out on that errand, and Nabiki hadn't been home yet when she had entered. The sound of water running could be heard from the bathroom, maybe that was Nabiki. Had her father and Mr. Saotome been home? She thought she had heard them playing Go, but they were out on the porch for that usually. She had no clue about Happosai, but it wasn't odd for him to not be around when it wasn't specifically mealtime. It left the house awfully quiet, and she soon shut herself back into the room, leaving the quiet out.

At least, that was the plan. When she sat back down, it seemed that the silence was still with her. Deafening silence. Her muscles complained about sitting down as well; when was the last time she had exercised, anyway? Surely, she had done enough studying. A part of her felt bad for wanting to leave the studying before Ranma got home. He HAD said he'd join her...but he wasn't home yet. He was out, and besides, he had been a jerk to her before leaving her to walk home alone. She'd go to the dojo, just for a while. One quick run through, then come back.

She was out the door and halfway to the dojo before she realized she had started changing into her gi before even deciding it was okay for her to abandon her work.


	2. Difference Between Water and Chocolate

**Chapter 2: The Difference Between Water and Chocolate**

Ryoga looked at the crushed cup in his hand, and let a low growl rise up in his throat.

"Damn that Ranma, why do I let him get me riled up?" He picked up the pieces, putting them aside. He had a small cut on a finger now, which he quickly pressed a bandanna against to stop the bleeding. It wasn't serious, but annoying all the same.

It wasn't that he didn't want to confess to Akane. He did, more then anything. He certainly didn't want Ranma to have her. However, there didn't seem to be much he could do about that lately. Despite what Ranma had said, him and Akane were getting...closer. He could feel it, hear it in Akane's voice, see it in her eyes. The truth hurt, but a part of him still wanted to hope that he had a chance.

His other hand idly went through his coat pockets in search of her picture, but his fingers fell on the wrong one. Pulling out the paper, he was surprised to see a picture of Akari, who knew about his curse and liked him still. Loved him even. Why couldn't he love her back? She was cute, funny, devoted, and interesting. Why did his heart still pine away for Akane?

The zipper to his tent made a sound, and he looked up quickly.

"Who is it?" he asked, his brow creasing. He didn't think it'd be Ranma again, but he could never be sure.

"Knock knock, Ryoga. It's Nabiki Tendo," said a female voice. Akane's sister. Ryoga put away the photo and watched as Nabiki made her way into the tent, more clumsily then Ranma. Making herself quickly comfortable on the bedding, she tucked her legs under herself, resting one hand on the ground.

"Oh. Err, hey, Nabiki. Can I, uh, help you?" He tried to remember a time when he actually had spoken with Nabiki alone, and couldn't remember one. Unsure of how to deal with this visit, he tried to keep his composure and rested his hands on his knees.

"Help me? But I'm not the one who needs help."

"What are you getting at?"

"I'm gonna make this short, Ryoga. You've got a problem, I know. Now normally, I wouldn't go into other's affairs, but this does involve my little sister. I don't want her to get hurt, and having to hurt you would, naturally, hurt her. She's so kindhearted that way."

Nabiki sniffed, and shifted her weight. Panic rose up within Ryoga, without any thought of wanting to contain it. He allowed his hands to ball up into fists, his muscles to tense, and his face to harden.

"You're not going to tell her, are you?"

"Of course not! That would make things complicated. At least, I wouldn't tell her right out. Akane needs to be told the truth, from the source. That being you. No, for this Ryoga, I have another idea...one that will lessen the hurt you need to go through, too."

* * *

><p>"Ahh...," said a very satisfied male as he stepped out of the hot bath. Drying off his hair first with a towel, Ranma unplugged the drain with his toe and watched as the still steaming water swirled away.<p>

On his way home, he had been careless and was sprayed with cold water from an old woman who had been watering flowers. Before he knew it, he had been the she again. Ranko, the red-headed, busty, pig-tailed girl. Despite the annoyance of changing, it didn't deter him much this time; he had been on his way home, anyway.

After getting dressed, he stepped out of the bathroom and headed down the hall to Akane's room. He first noticed the empty food dishes on the tray on the floor, and his stomach reminded him that he was hungry.

"Akane ate without me? I didn't take that long," he muttered, walking up to the door and looking at the small plaque on it. It was in the shape of a cute duck, with the name Akane inked in English letters. She always did like cutesy things, despite being a tomboy. Akane was such a contradiction.

"Hey, Akane?" he called, knocking on the door twice, sharply. When ten seconds passed without an answer, he knocked louder.

"Akane? It's me. Are ya in there? You're not mad, are ya?" he called through the wood, and received silence in return. He looked up at the sign once more, debating on what to do. He couldn't just walk into her room...could he? Wouldn't that be an invasion of her privacy? But he didn't even know if she was in there.

"I'm comin' in!" Grabbing the knob, he turned it, pushing the door open slowly.

"Hello?"

No one was there, and he pushed the door all the way, seeing her notes on the desk. When he walked in further, he saw that his notes were piled in the corner as well. Akane's school dress was folded on the edge of her bed.

"Huh. Guess she got sick of waiting," he said, taking a look around. A part of him told him to leave the room, immediately. This was a girl's room, he wasn't supposed to be there. Yet that part in itself made him want to be there. If it was Akane's room, wasn't it different? Or did that make it worse? It was just Akane, after all.

_She'd kill me if she found out.._

There wasn't much in the room of interest to him, just a bed, and desk. A chair, a dresser, typical bedroom items. A few stuffed animals sat in the corner, and he recognized items that he had given her. Such as the picture frame from Christmas, still sitting on her dresser, and a plushey that he had won for her at the carnival last year. He tried to think of things that she had given him, and couldn't remember if he had kept anything. He had to at least still have the scarf...right? Suddenly wondering if he did or not, he left the room, closing the door behind him and jogging down to the room he shared with his father.

Going straight for the dresser, he opened the drawers and began tearing through them. Winter clothes, summer clothes, fighting clothes, odd pieces he couldn't recognize. Soon clothing littered the floor, but he still hadn't found it.

"C'mon, I gotta still have it...somewhere..."

"Gotta have what, boy?"

Ranma didn't stop, and didn't even turn around. He didn't have to turn around to recognize his father's voice, and he certainly didn't want his father to see his eyes widen.

"My...gi. Ya know, the other one," he said, in a forcefully annoyed voice. He pulled out another few articles and then finally saw it. The scarf was stuffed in the lowest corner of the middle drawer, behind an old pair of pants and a slipper. He sighed with relief at seeing it, and began to put things back in the drawer.

"You mean this one?" asked Genma, his voice suspicious. When Ranma turned around, he saw him pointing to a gi that was hanging up on a hook on the wall, belt and all. Sheepishly, Ranma put a few more articles of clothing away, then walked over to it.

"Yeah, that one. Close the door, will ya Pop? I'm gonna change." Before Genma Saotome had the door half closed, Ranma had his gi on and was opening it again to run out.

"Hey, aren't you going to clean this up?"

"Later! Training's more important, right?" he shot back. He thought he heard his father protest, but couldn't hear what it was.

_That was close. If Pop knew I was looking for something Akane gave me, he wouldn't shut up about it._ Taking a quick turn, he headed for the front door, wondering what he should do. It'd be odd for him to wait upstairs for Akane in his gi, and he wasn't sure if he should go out looking for her yet. She was probably mad at him anyway, for what he had said earlier. He thought about going back to ask his father if he'd seen her, but decided against it.

"Looks like I'm training then." It felt too quiet to be in the house, anyway. Where was everyone? He hadn't seen Nabiki or Kasumi, and Mr. Tendo didn't appear to be around. He knew his mother was out at their real house, supervising the renovation, and the old freak hadn't been seen in two days. _Guess it's just one of those days._

When he got to the dojo, he heard sounds coming from within. Slowly, he opened the door and peered into the familiar room. When he saw who was there, he became quiet and still, watching with a blank expression on his face. It was Akane. For a moment he just watched her, tumbling around in her gi, her hair pulled back with a bandanna. Despite how clumsy she was sometimes, she could be graceful. When she tried. He watched as she sparred her shadow, and then moved on to some mid-air flips. She was getting better at those, lately. When she landed on the fourth time with her back to him, he slipped into the dojo and slid the door shut.

"Who's ther-..Oh, hi Ranma," she said, turning around. Realizing that she didn't appear to be mad at him, Ranma relaxed. She walked to a nearby shelf to pick up a small towel, and began wiping the sweat off of her face.

"Yo, Akane. I thought we were gonna study?" he asked, approaching her. Her face was flushed from the workout, but otherwise she didn't look very winded.

"Sorry, I got tired of waiting and thought I'd come out here for a while. It's hard to sit down for too long. Where were you?"

"With Ryoga. Just took longer then I thought it would." It was the truth, mostly at least. He watched as Akane sat on the floor and began stretching her short legs. Not wanting to have to look down to talk with her, he sat down as well, but didn't stretch. He was too hungry to do any exercises, but he had to stay for a while because of the damned gi and his father.

"Oh. And you changed because you got your clothes dirty?"

"Somethin' like that."

"As long as that's settled."

A sudden noise from the side of the room caused Akane's face to turn, and Ranma looked over as well, wondering if it was his dad coming to berate him about the mess of their bedroom. The door had opened, Nabiki was standing there, an eyebrow raised. Realizing how close they were sitting to each other, Ranma and Akane immediately stood up, backing away from each other a pace.

"So this is what you two do in the dojo all the time. Makes sense," said Nabiki, as though she had just solved a mystery. Sauntering into the room, she stuffed a hand into her pocket, and pulled out a piece of paper.

"We weren't doing anything," said Akane defensively. Wanting to echo her words, Ranma opened his mouth, then immediately shut it. Adding more fuel to Nabiki's fire could be dangerous; if he acted like something had happened, she would probably jump to conclusions. Grunting instead, he looked at the paper that Nabiki was now holding up in front of their faces. Why did Nabiki have to always be so assuming? It frustrated him to no end.

"A note from Ryoga?" asked Akane, taking the piece of paper out of Nabiki's hands. Immediately, Ranma snatched it up and held it above Akane's head to look at it.

"Hey, give that back!" Quickly, Ranma read the note, and frowned. Had Ryoga misinterpreted his words? What the note said was nothing like what he had told Ryoga to do.

"A date? He can't do that! You're not interested anyway, right Akane?" he asked, giving her the paper. She snatched it, giving him one of her don't-push-me looks, and read it over herself.

"I'm sure it's not how it looks. Ryoga doesn't like me that way anyway, he probably just wants to talk." Ranma rolled his eyes. _How can she be so dense?_

"So you're actually gonna go?" His fists balled up, and he balanced his weight on his toes, waiting for an answer. She looked up from the paper slowly.

"Well I can't just leave him there. He said he'd be waiting, and if I don't show up, he could be waiting all night."

"I could tell him you're not coming."

"Why are you being so helpful, all of a sudden?"

This was getting out of control. All Ryoga had to do was listen to him, just show up and confess to Akane. On Ranma's territory. Under Ranma's control. What was this date crap all about?

"What, I can't be helpful?" he countered, crossing his arms. Nabiki broke in, stepping between the two.

"Now, now, you two. Ranma, why don't you just let her go on this date with Ryoga?" Feeling as though he were now cornered, Ranma stepped back and looked at Nabiki. Her eyes were firm and intent, as though she had other reasons that she wouldn't voice with Akane there.

"Cause...cause he...arg, whatever. Do what you want Akane, it's not like I care." He took a few steps towards the door, waiting for her to call out. She always called out, but this time she was hesitating. That just upset him even more, and he opened the dojo door much more swiftly then need be.

"Ranma!" He stopped, waiting for her to finish. "There's nothing to be jealous over."

"I'm not jealous!" _And I'm not, either. But why does she have to do things like that? Is she that thick? Stupid Ryoga..._

"You are too! I can tell."

"You can't tell nothin'."

There were a few seconds where he waited before taking a step outside. As soon as he had one foot out the door, Akane began again.

"Ryoga's just a friend. That's it. So don't worry, okay? The date's not for another few days. If you want to study still, you can wait for me in the house, I'll be there soon." _Just a friend? Stupid Ryoga. Probably didn't want to have me be around when he told her._

"Who's worryin'? See ya later," he said coldly, waving her off. Closing the door, he headed back to the house, realizing with a sinking feeling that now he really would have to study tonight.

* * *

><p>"So what was really going on, sis?" asked Nabiki. Akane had almost forgotten she was there.<p>

"Huh? Oh, nothing. Really. Careful, Nabiki, you're getting as bad as Dad is," she replied. "You were talking with Ryoga, right?" Nabiki blinked, and nodded.

"Sort of. I happened to see him when I was passing by the park. He told me he had a message he wanted to get to you, then handed me this paper."

"Nothing else? It's odd that he'd suddenly want to talk to me. I hope everything's okay," she said, putting the note in her pocket. _Maybe it's because of the fight him and Ranma had. Those two idiots, always fighting,_ she thought, walking towards the door.

"Thanks for passing it on. I'm going to head back to the house now," she said, waving a hand to her sister as she opened the door and walked out.

"Sure."

Akane smiled before closing the door, and half jogged back to the house.

_I hope Ranma's over that fit he had, now...idiot, getting jealous over Ryoga._

After entering the main Tendo house, she walked towards the stairway, hearing sounds the kitchen; dishes clattering and liquid being poured into a cup. A quick peek into the kitchen confirmed that Ranma was heating up his food from earlier, and had changed into black pants and a yellow, short sleeved shirt. Nodding to herself, she reasoned that she'd have about ten minutes to change before he would finish. At most, anyway. Quickly, she ran upstairs to do that, taking the tray of dishes with her on the way back.

Once downstairs, she found Ranma still eating in the kitchen. The sight of him, now calmer, made her anxiety over Nabiki's behaviour fade. She had no right to interfere like that, to just walk in and assume, but that moment was past now. Quietly, she watched Ranma for the moment, sitting at the table. He ate a piece of cake and had a glass of water in his other hand; used bowls nearby showed that he had quickly eaten Kasumi's leftovers.

"Hey, almost done?" she asked, putting her tray on the counter. He finished the cake in one bite, and downed the water.

"Am now," he said, then Akane's eyes moved to look at a clock on the wall.

"7 o'clock already. We should get started," she said, watching Ranma reluctantly get up. Nodding, she turned around headed to her room, hearing Ranma follow. _He's not trying to get out of it?_ she thought, amazed. He usually did, unless his mother was around. Nadoka Saotome was the only person who could do anything close to bossing around Ranma.

"Yeah, yeah," she heard Ranma say, but he still followed her into her room. They studied for almost an hour before Ranma left, and not another word about Ryoga or the date was voiced.


	3. The Pig in Me

**Chapter 3: The Pig in Me**

The skirt of the red and white dress lay around her like a flower in bloom; a flower with dirt on it's hem, at least. On her lap sat a small piglet, sleeping as the girl delicately rubbed her head, occasionally scratching behind her ear.

"So peaceful...you'll make a great fighter, someday, but right now you're about as aggressive as a blade of grass," she said, petting it's back in slow, distracted strokes. Really, she wasn't thinking about her pet pig. She wasn't even thinking of training, or anything that had to do with the room. The girl, Akari, had an odd, sad look to her eyes that didn't suit the peaceful surroundings she was in.

"Right now, I'm about as aggressive as you are too, though. Why am I like that? Why can't I be more like...like a pig. A strong, noble, pig," she sighed, and as though the creature noticed her added tension, she woke up and blinked. Feeling guilty, Akari pet her head gently, trying to soothe her back to sleep.

"No, no. Rest. That's a good pig...good pig..." Within moments, the pig did close her eyes again and allowed her breathing to slow. Satisfied, Akari nodded, then continued her thoughts.

An odd girl had visited her today. No, she corrected herself, the girl wasn't really that odd. It was the visit that was odd. It was a girl named Nabiki Tendo; she had briefly recognized the name, then recognized it further when the girl had mentioned Akane.

It was about her Ryoga, that she visited her. No, she corrected again, not her Ryoga. Not the same Ryoga who wrote her letters, who visited her, whose picture she had tucked away in her diary. It couldn't be. Ryoga loved this Akane? She had seen Akane before...a pleasant woman, but not worthy of her Ryoga. Not worthy of someone of such qualities. Of such strength, compassion, and kindness.

Apparently, though, he was fond of her. He was supposed to confess this to her soon, at a restaurant, with Akari as a witness. Nabiki had said that Akane would reject Ryoga; Akane was to marry Ranma, which Akari had remembered. The original wedding had been widely talked about, even up to where she lived.

After Ryoga was rejected, Akari was to be there to lick his wounds, so to speak. To comfort him, and give him her love so that he may accept it and reciprocate. She was under the impression that she had already had his love, though. Why did Akane have to be involved in this? She felt a tear start to creep out from under her eye, and felt it grow until it's weight forced it to journey down her cheek. With a shudder, she found herself waking the confused piglet again, and holding her tightly to her chest.

"He's as strong as a pig...but I'm just nothing to him. Why am I nothing? Why?"

Her piglet voiced concern, but not in words Akari could understand. All the same, she nodded, and pet her pig's head soothingly. She could be strong, and get through this. She would truly have Ryoga, this time.

* * *

><p>Nabiki slowly walked along the sidewalk, a large, black umbrella over her head. It was raining lightly now; a pleasant, cool rain, that smelled fresh and clean. She felt accomplished, though kept her face schooled to it's usual blank expression. She didn't want to be confused for some sort of giddy schoolgirl, young as she still looked though she was out of high school. A smile on her face would only add to the appearance of being younger then her age.<p>

Her hand gripped her change purse tightly, and she allowed it to clink softly in tune to her steps. That was the reason for her happiness; the recently aquired money, not just in coin but paper as well. Almost as much to equal any bribe money she could get out of Kuno.

Although confident in her skills, she hadn't been sure at first that this would work. She hadn't been around Akari enough to properly evaluate her and peg her weaknesses. But the girl was so easily molded, like warm clay begging for strong, firm hands to manipulate it. Especially whenever she mentioned what pain Ryoga was in, over Akane.

"What is it with girls...tug their heart strings, and they're willing to do anything for emotional gratification. Hmm."

She wondered at it, but didn't voice any more of her thoughts. It had been a successful day, and as far as she was concerned, every member of the female population of Nerima could just continue on thinking with their hearts, so long as she didn't have to conform.

* * *

><p><em>The day of the date..<em>

Ryoga Hibiki rose and stretched his muscular arms. His nose felt cold, though the rest of him was warm; he had slept with only his head poking out from under the covers. Despite what this day would bring him, or maybe because of it, he didn't want to get out of his bed; sleep was such a comfort. It kept him warm, took him away from the reality of the cold world. It made him happy to be asleep, most of the time. Yet the sun was glaring through the material of the tent in a way that threatened his ability to sleep any further; he gave in and proceeded to change into clothing to wear for the day.

He hadn't seen Ranma since that day, which could mean one of two things. One, Nabiki had given Akane the note without Ranma seeing, and he had just assumed that Ryoga had gotten lost again. Ranma wouldn't bother to look for Ryoga when he thought he was lost; he never had before unless he needed Ryoga. At least, not since back when they were younger, when Ranma would help him to and from school.

The other option was that Ranma had become so angry that he had decided to elope with Akane, just to spite him. The thought made him wince and get dressed all the more quickly. When he was done, he stepped outside and looked up to the sky. It was a cloudy day, and the grass was damp; it had probably been raining most of the night, as it had been the past couple of days. Careful not to get any of the moisture on his skin, he set up his kettle at a picnic table and proceeded to make coffee. While it was boiling, he sat down on the bench leisurely, looking up at the sky again.

"Akane...I'll give you my heart today, but you're just gonna give it right back, aren't you?" he said wistfully. He closed his eyes, where he could see a picture of her face. Her smile, so beautiful, so loving. How could anyone not want such a girl? He definitely did not get the same feeling around Akari that he did with her.

"Love doesn't happen on command, though," he said in a low voice, barely noticing that his coffee was done. He downed it in a few sips, unsuccessfully trying to fill an emptiness in the pit of his stomach. What he had said rang true in both situations; he knew he couldn't make Akane love him, and nothing could make him love Akari, just like that. Even if she did accept him for who he was.

He hovered back over to his pack to search for food. After a few moments of routing through pockets, he noticed that there didn't seem to be anything edible anywhere in the pack.

_What the..? I just bought some food yesterday...or was it yesterday?_ The contents of his pack were now on the ground of the tent, but no food in sight. With a sigh, he put everything back in the pack and proceeded to prepare his tent and other objects for packing as well.

"I'll just go to the market and get more." He was so used to being alone, he had started talking to himself a while ago. It seemed easier that way, really; plus, there was no one around to talk back. That could be both a good thing and a bad thing.

Once he had himself ready to go, he made his way towards the gate of the park, looking towards his left, then towards his right. One way lead to some houses, the other to larger buildings. Scratching his head, he looked one way then the other a few more times, trying to puzzle out which one the proper way was. Which way had he come from, anyway? He must have been to the market before camping out there. Shrugging his shoulders, he took a step forward and headed left.

"Wherever I go, I'll find food eventually," he reasoned, setting off at a light jog. It was good to have exercise in the morning; despite his heavy pack and umbrella, he felt easy on his feet. There was a cool, light breeze in the air, and soon he found himself almost smiling as he jogged down the various streets. Turning left here, right there, going straight after that turn. A few times, he decided that he didn't feel right about the path he was taking and doubled back. About the fourth time he did this, he began to panic.

Nothing around him looked familiar anymore. He was sure he was in the same city still; he hadn't been traveling long enough for him to be somewhere else. Had he? The buildings around him were large and looming. A few cars were visible in the streets, though there were mostly people on bikes and on foot. There were shops on either side of the road, but none of them were food shops. Mostly, they were clothing or music stores, and even one pet store. He half contemplated buying pig food, then turning into P-chan to eat it, and discarded that idea; even when he was a pig, he still liked human food best. No, he had to press on.

Seeing a man walking towards him, he held up his hand and took a step to the side to block the way.

"Excuse me! Sorry, but where's the market?"

"The market? You just came from that direction. Head back and turn right," said the man before sidestepping out of his way.

"Thank you," said Ryoga gratefully, jogging back from where he came from. _Okay, he must have meant my right when I was facing him, so that's a left now,_ thought Ryoga, patting himself on the back as he took a left turn. More of the same buildings were around here, but there were less people. Although he jogged to almost the end of the street, he didn't see any food shops, and soon his stomach cried for him to stop. Taking out his umbrella, he stuck the end of it into the ground and used it to hold himself up. How long had it been since he set out? He walked forward a few more paces, looking on both sides of him.

"Hey! Hey, Ryoga?" called a voice from behind him. A female voice, but one he couldn't place. Turning around, he saw a tall girl with long, brown hair, running towards him. She wore a blue schoolboy's uniform, with a huge spatula in a holster on her back, and smaller ones in pockets on her shirt. Upon recognizing her, Ryoga relaxed, though his stomach still gurgled.

"It IS you! What's up?" she asked, slowing down as she approached him. Ryoga tried for a smile, and straightened himself.

"Just out for some food. You?"

"Food's the other way, sugar. I just came back from the market," she said, pointing behind her. Ryoga's eyes widened, and he smacked himself on the forehead hard. _Idiot! It was his right, not mine._ The girl, Ukyo, turned back towards him. He noticed now that she was holding a few bags in her arms; of course, the food she had just bought.

"Well, I should get going...," she began, walking away. As she was about to pass by Ryoga, she stopped, and looked back at him. Ryoga felt his face redden, unconsciously reminded that Ukyo was a girl. It was easy to forget, with that uniform of hers, but when she paid attention to him...it was very obvious, in her face, her posture, and of course in her long, long dark hair. Flinching bashfully, Ryoga averted his eyes.

"Actually...you got a few, Ryoga? I'm testing out a new recipe. I was going to get Ranma-honey to try it, but ever since the...incident at the wedding, I, uh...don't want to bug him. And Konatsu is out for the day. How 'bout it?"

Ryoga tilted his head, forgetting her gender at the mention of food. There was no point in running around aimlessly anymore. And why would he ever want to turn down free food? His stomach gurgled as though trying to respond for him.

"Sure, Ukyo. Sounds good."

They began walking again in the direction he had been headed, though now Ryoga followed her. He was used to Ukyo, somehow. More then other girls at least. She didn't make him nervous like Nabiki did, or Akari. In a way, she was like one of the guys; or maybe that was just because she wore a guys uniform all the time. He always did wonder about that. Hadn't she given up being a guy? But he wasn't about to come out and ask. She was a girl after all, and it was her business, not his. Besides, it wasn't a good idea to annoy someone who was about to provide homemade cooking.

"It's just up around the corner, here. You've been to my restaurant before, haven't you? I can't remember."

"I have a couple of times. There was that one time, with Akane..." _Does she really not remember that? She had all but forced Akane on that date._ Depression and anxiety welled up at the memory.

"Right, right. Sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking." Her voice sounded sad, despite the cheerful overtone to it. _She must be hurting bad over Ranma, poor girl. Damn that Ranma, how many hearts are you going to play with?_ His black hair and bandana bounced lightly as he shook his head. Really, he did know it wasn't Ranma's fault. Not completely anyway.

Ukyo stopped suddenly, surprising him, and opened a door that Ryoga had been ready to walk right past.

"Here we are. Help me put away the groceries?" she asked, or rather, stated, as she entered. Ryoga bobbed his head, stepping in through the doorway that she opened up. The entranceway hadn't been familiar, though now that he looked out at the sign, he read 'Ucchan's Okonomiyaki' clearly above the door.

"Sure, no problem."

He looked around the small restaurant. There was a bar with a grill built into it, meant for Ukyo to display her okonomiyaki skills to the waiting customers. A few tables were off to one side, with chairs around them. The walls were, for the most part, bare wood. A large calendar scroll with a beautiful peacock was on one side of the room, with a matching picture of a peacock on the other side. He looked at the peacock in admiration a moment before following Ukyo into the kitchen.

She had already started opening up cupboards, taking out food, measuring cups, and dishes. The bags she had left on the table, probably waiting for him to tackle. Without having to be asked, he took the food carefully out of them, tossing the empty bags in a garbage can on one side of the room. Ukyo was humming a tune that he couldn't quite catch, but it didn't bother him; he began to put the items that he thought belonged in the fridge inside of it, and left the other items on the table for Ukyo to decide on.

"Hand me the oregano, would ya?" asked Ukyo over her shoulder. _Oregano...oregano...ah, here it is._ He picked up a bag with the appropriate label and put it over by Ukyo. She was sharpening a knife now; at some point she had put on an apron which looked oddly feminine against her stark blue pants, and she had filled a few bowls with spices and sauces. Ingredients for the dough were sitting on the corner of the table, and she picked up the oregano, sprinkling some of it into one of the bowls.

"The flour too, and the jar with the blue lid?" she asked, and Ryoga responded in the same manner as before. Quickly, she used parts of what he gave her, then beamed as she balanced the bowls she had been using on her arms and hands.

"Thanks sugar, now I just need to get to the grill," she said, leaving the kitchen to go to the main room. Ryoga looked at the food that remained hungrily, but resisted, closing the containers as he saw them. His restraint was challenged by an open bag of shelled peanuts, however. After a quick look at the doorway and seeing Ukyo not there, he reached slowly towards the bag.

_Just a couple, to tide me over..,_ he thought, suddenly feeling scared that he'd be caught. Before he actually picked up any though, he changed his mind, and started to close the bag instead._ Idiot, you're getting free food. Don't take advantage of Ukyo._ Cringing, he did take three peanuts and ate them quickly before joining Ukyo at the bar.

"This recipe has squid and shrimp, with my new secret sauce...," Ukyo was saying, as though he had been out there the whole time. Ryoga sat down on a stool, watching her pour sauce and meat onto a round shape of dough. She worked the spatula and dough like a blacksmith working on a horseshoe; quickly, but still careful and sure. She soon had another one frying as well, and then her hands and spatula literally seemed to fly, she was going so fast. Within minutes, he had a plate in front of him with two helpings of okonomiyaki. _She's so generous...better dig in,_ he thought, picking one up and biting into it. Tears formed in his eyes.

"It's so good," he tried to say, though realized he had forgotten to swallow. Ukyo laughed at him and began preparing another for herself.

"Glad you like it. Go on, eat up. I can tell you're starving." The first one was already half done, and he shoved the rest of it into his mouth like a wolf who hadn't eaten in days. It was better then usual, at least as far as he could remember. His stomach stopped gurgling in appreciation, and he wolfed down the second one as well.

"That was great! You're an amazing cook," he said, looking up at her. She smiled, but kept on cooking her own.

"Want some more?"

"Of course."

"I'll have to cut you off after these two, so eat'em slow," she said, serving up two more that were finished.

"I'm just grateful to have food," he said, taking a bite of one. He looked up to see Ukyo looking at him sadly, and this time swallowed before speaking. Something was obviously bothering her. Since she had helped satiate his stomach, the least he could do was try to help.

"What's wrong?" She took a pensive bite of her food, though it didn't appear as though it was the food that bothered her.

"Nothing."

Ryoga sighed, and had another bite of food. He didn't know much about women, but he knew that saying 'Nothing' like that was a bad sign. Akane had said words like that before to Ranma, moments before Ranma was hit with whatever was handy. You just did not ignore words in that tone of voice.

"You're thinking about Ranma, aren't you?" Ukyo looked away, then nodded.

"You guessed it. I just can't believe he'd do this to me! What does that Akane have that I don't have?" she asked, looking as though she were about to pout. Ryoga scowled, not liking the way she had said her name.

"Don't pull Akane into this, it's not her fault Ranma's a jerk." Ukyo looked as though she were about to argue, but stopped.

"Ranma's not a jerk. He's just...misunderstood."

"Well, he'll be Akane's misunderstood husband, soon," said Ryoga, depressed now as he thought about what he had just said. Ukyo finished her okonomiyaki in one bite, stuffing it in her mouth as shamelessly as a guy. Blinking, Ryoga stared a moment before looking back to his food.

"He will, won't he," she said, then seemed to remember who she was with. "Hey, I'm sorry. I know how you feel about Akane." His heart felt heavy again as he ate more of the food. _And I have to see her tonight and deal with it..._

"They're each going around and telling their suitors to basically give up, and let them marry. Tonight is my night, apparently," he confessed. It pained him to think of it, but talking helped. After a fashion. As much as re-breaking a broken leg that had set wrong helped.

"I thought Akane didn't know how you felt?"

"She doesn't. I'm...I'm supposed to confess tonight. It was Ranma's idea."

"I see. It makes sense, in a way...how can you get over her if she doesn't know you're into her in the first place? It'll be good for you," she said, an odd sound of confidence in her voice that caused him to smirk ironically.

"Let's see you be so confident when it's your night to be told by Ranma."

Meeting his eyes, Ukyo frowned, her brown eyes as downtrodden as his. Ryoga felt as though he would cry if he had to look into those eyes much longer. It just wasn't fair, all the sadness both of them had to go through. Ukyo seemed to feel the same way, as she looked away.

"It's not going to be just any date though...Nabiki had an idea," he continued, trying to sound casual. His voice still carried that heavy note that he had so much trouble getting rid of.

"Oh?"

"Halfway through the date, Akari is supposed to show up. After I tell Akane how I feel, I'm supposed to go to Akari, and try to use her to lift my spirits. Everyone seems to think I'm in love with Akari, but I just...I just don't know what I feel for her," he said, images of Akane and Akari chasing each other in his mind. It was confusing, trying to sort out what he felt for each, and what others expected him to feel. Ukyo nodded, finishing the rest of her food and leaning her elbows on the table.

"So after Akane tells you that her precious little heart belongs to Ranma, you're to run to Akari so she can bandage your wounded soul?" Ukyo could have used her sarcasm for sauce, she laid it on that thick.

"Basically. Will you lighten up on the cracks with Akane, though?" Ukyo waved a hand.

"Sorry, sorry."

_What a bitter woman._ Ryoga snorted, his mood back down to what it had been before eating.

"Hey, what time are you supposed to be there?"

"Oh, at about..hey, in two hours. I'd better get going, actually," said Ryoga as he looked at his watch, then stood up. Ukyo got up too, and pushed him back down.

"Hold it, pig-boy. I'll walk you there, okay? Just let me clean up the place a little."

_Pig-boy? How dare she...! Oh, cut it out Ryoga, she's just trying to help._ Still, he frowned at her, unsure of her motives. She probably just felt bad for him, and wanted to make sure he didn't have any other problems tonight. Or she didn't want to be alone with her thoughts. Wasn't that the real reason she had dragged him over there? She had said her waiter was out...he had never thought of Ukyo as the lonely type. _Maybe she's just bored..._

"Fine, fine. You don't have to walk me there, though," he said, looking away but still handing her his plate and cup when she reached for them.

"Yes I do, or you'll be wandering Nerima all night. Just give me a few, okay? And feel free to use the bathroom. If you can find it." This time she winked at him before ducking into the kitchen. _Heh, of course I can find the bathroom. Just need to try going into the kitchen,_ he thought, making fun of himself. It was precisely that logic that got him into the bathroom two minutes later, so he could get ready for his "date".


	4. One Step Forward, One Step Back

**Chapter 4: One Step Forward, One Step Back**

_"You and me have still got...so much we need to say...  
>'friends' is not enough...why can't we seize the day?"<em> - "Where Do We Go From Here?" DoCo

From behind a small patch of bushes and a bonsai tree, a red and black clothed figure crouched, watching. His eyes were glued to an elegant table not too far from him, though far enough that he doubted he'd be able to hear voices well from it. Unfortunately.

A lone girl sat at it. She was dressed nicely, though still casual, in a pretty cream coloured dress with lavender flowers on it. Around her neck was a plain silver necklace, and on her feet she wore a pair of flat, white shoes. She looked anxious, as she had been waiting there for ten minutes already. On her lap was a small blue change purse; her hands were folded on the white table in front of her, decorated only by a single vase containing a fake, pink carnation.

The girl was Akane, waiting for Ryoga to arrive. They had actually shown up late as it was, her and Ranma and Nabiki. Ranma had acted as though he were going home, but really he had planned to wait in the bushes all along, especially after Nabiki had told him about her plan. Her incredibly stupid plan, on the surface at least. Knowing Nabiki, there were probably hidden parts that he didn't know of, but still. It was a stupid plan. Really, he had expected better of her. She was off getting another girl, Akari, and being sure she was prepared to 'save' Ryoga from a deep depression after Akane turned him down. Although he had voiced more then once what he thought of the plan, he felt better about the date now at least; it had been all Nabiki's doing. Akane didn't know any of this, though. Him and Nabiki both knew Akane well enough to know she'd refuse to go along with it, if it meant purposefully hurting his feelings like this. Besides, he thought, she probably wouldn't believe them anyway. She was stubborn like that.

After a few more minutes, he did hear a sound by the entranceway to the restaurant. Looking up, he saw Ryoga, and someone else that he hadn't expected.

_Ucchan?_ He almost said aloud, and hid himself further. It would not do at all for her to see him now, and blow his cover. He wanted to know why she was with Ryoga, and moreso, had Ryoga told her the plan? Did Ryoga even know the whole plan? He had to.

Looking back to Akane, he saw that she hadn't looked up yet, and was instead busy looking through something in her purse. A look back to Ryoga showed that Ukyo was now gone. He stood there on his own, without the pack he had been holding moments ago; Ukyo had probably taken that for him. Although he wore a confident looking black jacket over a white shirt and black pants, his posture lacked confidence completely. He slumped his way over to Akane, who finally looked up as he was about to pull out the chair.

_Yeah, he knows the whole plan alright. Poor guy, _thought Ranma, chewing on one of the sweet buns he had brought with him. He had no idea how long this was going to take, but he refused to leave. Akane might need him, he reasoned. Also, this would allow him to see what happened, rather then just hear biased versions of it later. Akane smiled now, and her lips moved, no doubt in a greeting. A waiter who had been anxiously watching from the sidelines ever since Akane sat down brought them menus, but Ryoga declined his. Akane ordered, and the waiter went away.

_I wonder how long he's gonna stew before he comes out with it, _he wondered, his face blank. His sapphire eyes didn't leave them for a moment; they were now at the point of no return.

* * *

><p>From the rear end of the restaurant, a short, dark-haired girl with plump cheeks and bright eyes walked in, and sat down at a table behind the one Akane and Ryoga occupied. She nodded politely over to Ryoga and smiled; the latter looked at her briefly before turning back to his companion. On another side of the outdoor restaurant, a figure clad in dark blue with long, brown hair crouched behind some bushes. No one else in the restaurant seemed to notice.<p>

* * *

><p>Crossing her legs at the ankle, Akane tried to keep her face pleasant as she looked over at Ryoga. Although he looked to be dressed well for the occasion, obviously taking care to look good, he didn't seem to want to be there. She almost wanted to reach out and pat his shoulder comfortingly, he looked that depressed. <em>He didn't even order anything...what could it be that's got him so upset that he has no appetite?<em> She herself had just ordered soup, and a small bread and sauce dish that she planned to split with Ryoga.

"How've you been?" she asked. His face shifted expressions; it was rare for him to look happy, she noted. Perhaps he really wasn't that depressed, and this was just a natural look for him?

"Alright. I, um, I hope it wasn't any trouble, you coming out here and all. I appreciate it," said Ryoga. He had his hands clasped, and was pushing his index fingers together to make a tent shape. Akane smiled encouragingly.

"No problem. We're friends, right?" she asked, noticing Ryoga cringe at the comment. _Oh no...could Ranma have been right?_ She glanced towards the bushes, eyeing them critically. Was Ranma nearby, maybe hiding? She had a feeling he was, somewhere. It had happened enough times before that he had spied on her, that she had begun to expect it. Or perhaps she just took it for granted that he'd be around. Frowning, she looked back at Ryoga, uncrossing and recrossing her legs uncertainly.

"Right, right. Friends," he echoed. _Or maybe not...he seems okay. Come to think of it, I don't really know Ryoga that well._ They had been on dates before, but there was always something more to them. Either he was pushed into an odd plot crafted by someone else, or it just happened to work out that they were paired off. She was only interested in friendship with Ryoga, though; despite being a sweet guy, and fairly attractive to boot, there was just something missing about Ryoga. A feeling that he didn't manage to stir in her. She looked into his eyes experimentally for a moment, as though to confirm this; yes, definitely, nothing but friendship. A warmth, but not a fire. When he began to look nervous from her scrutiny, she smiled and shook her head.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about something. So Ryoga, you wanted to talk? It looks like something's on your mind," she said. The waiter brought over the food then, and she thankfully began digging in. It had been a while since she had last eaten.

"Yeah, there is...something," he began, his eyes shifting over to one side suspiciously. They shifted back to her, and he sighed loudly.

"First, I'm sorry for what happened at the wedding. I guess you could say I got caught up in the moment...but still, I'm sorry. I acted like a kid," he said, looking at his hands on the table. _Is that all he's worried about? It's nice that he's apologizing, though._ After the wedding had been trashed by several of their so-called friends, Akane had a few choice words for the unfortunate ones who were still there. Ryoga was one of those who had been in earshot.

"Well, thanks, I accept your apology. But beleive me, what you were doing was the least of our problems. You didn't do near as much property damage as the others, from what I saw, and you weren't trying to steal me or Ranma. But then...what was wrong anyway? You looked upset, from what I recall," she questioned, spooning up some more of the broth from her soup.

"The truth is...well...," he began, and looked to the side again. Was he looking over her shoulder at something? What was going on behind her? Turning her head to look, she stopped when she felt a hand touching hers. She turned back to see Ryoga blushing, as he moved his hand away.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to turn away as you were talking. I just wanted to see what you were looking at." From behind Akane, a dark-haired girl waved shyly.

"It's nothing, nothing. I'm just trying to sort out my words," he covered. Akane relaxed, and leaned back in her chair.

"Take your time," she said, looking at the other end of the room. There were a few tables with people in them, but not many; it was an odd time to want to eat. A few trees lined the sides of the area, but it was mostly opened up with bushes in front of the trees. Cement and marble squares on the ground made paths out of the restaurant on all four sides.

_What could be so big that he has this much trouble saying it?_

She took in a deep breath of the fresh air before looking back at Ryoga. His face didn't look quite as peaceful, but she waited patiently for him to talk. Finally, he seemed to come to a decision, and put his hands firmly on the table.

"Akane, I have something to confess to you," his voice sounded hard as rock. Akane leaned forward attentively.

"Yes?" Ryoga backed up as she leaned forward, and looked down bashfully.

"What is it? Please, tell me, you're worrying me," she said, frowning at him. He was definitely acting strange now. She watched as he looked over her shoulder yet again, then turned back to her, nodding.

"Th-the truth is...I...," his voice was low now, and she had a hard time hearing him.

"Speak up, Ryoga. What are you so shy about?," she asked. This seemed to trigger something in Ryoga, and he took a deep breath.

"Akane, I love you!," he yelled, the look of fear in his eyes suggesting he hadn't quite intended for it to be so loud.

The restaurant was suddenly quiet, and she thought she heard someone start to clap, before being quickly silenced. The sound of the wind was suddenly very noticeable through the bushes, especially at either sides of the room. Akane felt as though she had been struck. Ryoga loved her? His voice sounded so definite, so sure. _But why me? Why..? Oh, Ryoga..._ She realized that she was now staring at him. The boy still had his palms flat on the table, and his eyes firmly fixed on his hands. She had to say something, she had to react. But what was she supposed to say? And now..._ Oh no...so that's why he...that's why he was upset at the wedding! God, I'm such an idiot._

It was a struggle to put a normal expression on her face. It didn't any affect on Ryoga, of course, who still wasn't looking at her. _And this means...I have to reject him now._ She felt as though a pile of lead had just formed in the pit of her stomach.

"Ryoga...when...how? How long have you felt this way?" Ryoga sighed again, and shrank back into his seat. Akane wished she could be anywhere but that spot at that moment. Her feet were now flat on the floor, her eyes fixed on her friend.

"I don't know when it started, exactly. But...it's been a while. A...a long while, now." he ventured, his voice sounding far away. Akane almost sighed, but held it back. _I have to do this as gently as possible...darn it, why me? And why now?_ She clasped her hands tightly, making her knuckles turn white.

"I see. Ryoga...I'm flattered, but...you...we don't even know each other that well, and...," she began, her tongue feeling fat in her mouth. Nothing she could say now seemed good enough. Her eyes darted around the room, looking for something, needing something to focus on. The sigh she tried to keep in was let out, and she shook her head.

"I know. You have Ranma," said Ryoga. He said her fiance's name coldly, still refusing to look up. _How does their friendship survive this? Or maybe that's why they're always fighting...I wonder if Ranma even knows just how serious he is about it._ She found herself looking towards the bushes again, a spark of anger flaring at the thought of him knowing, and not telling her.

_Maybe he really isn't there...he would have come out by now._

Leaning an elbow on the table, she rested her head in her hand and gave Ryoga a sober look, trying to focus on sounding sympathetic.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? I had no idea...oh, and to invite you to the wedding! May as well have rubbed your face in it. I feel awful, Ryoga. I...I never wanted to hurt you," she said, sitting up straighter as the full force sunk in further. Ryoga just nodded, the light gone from his eyes. He halfheartedly looked over his shoulder once more, but this time Akane didn't bother to wonder what was over there. Getting up slowly, she walked around the table to Ryoga, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I'm...really sorry. I'm not worthy of you. We're not meant for each other at all. And...and what about Akari? I thought you were in a relationship with her, now, or at least dating. Surely she's a better match for you?" she asked, grasping at straws as they appeared. Ryoga looked up slowly, but his expression hadn't changed.

"Akari...," he said, then hesitated. From behind her, Akane heard someone get up out of a chair and walk towards them. Turning around slowly, Akane didn't recognize the girl at first. She wore a soft, sad smile, and her eyes were fixed on Ryoga, darting to Akane from time to time. She took her hand off of Ryoga's shoulder as she realized who it was. Akari. She looked so different somehow, with that sad expression on her face.

_She...she heard him confess to me. Wait...how is it that she just happened to be here? What is going on? _The gears started to turn faster in her mind, but the solution wasn't forming just yet. She looked at Akari suspiciously, then back to the bushes, then Ryoga. The latter stood up, his eyes still beyond Akane.

"What about me, Ryoga?" she asked softly, her voice sounding as though she wanted to be cheerful but couldn't quite muster it. Akane took a step away, letting Akari approach him. Was that a tear in Ryoga's eye? His whole body shook, but Akari only walked closer.

"Come on, talk to me. Please?" begged Akari. But Ryoga didn't reply. Instead, he spun on his heel, and started running out of the restaurant. At the same time, the sound of a bush moving was heard from behind Akane, and she heard footsteps approach.

"Sorry, Akari, but don't follow me!" he yelled as he left the restaurant.

"Hey Ryoga! Wait!" called another familiar voice that ran past Akane and Akari, to catch up with Ryoga. Ukyo. _Ukyo? Why does she have Ryoga's pack with her? And why am I starting to feel like a pawn?,_ wondered Akane, not having moved from her spot. She could feel her anger welling up; she hated being used. It was subdued temporarily by the current situation, but only barely. Although she felt relief at having the conversation with Ryoga over, a deep tear in her heart was making her want to fall to the ground. She had upset him. Greatly. Somehow, Akari had too, though she wasn't sure how. Perhaps he really didn't feel anything for Akari, having run from her like that. _No, this is far from over. It can't be that simple._ Confused, Akane looked at the ground, letting out a large breath of air. The weight didn't come off of her shoulders, though.

"I'm sorry you had to see that Akari," she said. _Why am I apologizing so much? It's not like it makes anything better._ she thought miserably. Of all things that she hated doing, hurting people was something she detested.

"It's okay. I can be strong...like a...like a...," But she didn't finish her sentence, and instead raised a silk cloth to her face to wipe away a tear.

"I should go," she said sadly, looking in the direction Ryoga had run off in. _The poor girl.._ Akane looked at her sympathetically, feeling utterly powerless.

"Just give him some time, let him sort out his feelings. Why don't you go for a walk, and then go catch up with him later?" She asked, trying to smile. Possibly seeing the effort, Akari tried for a smile as well, but it looked too odd with her sad eyes. Adjusting her red shirt over her blue pants, Akari looked back at the seat that Ryoga had been sitting at, then headed towards the entrance opposite to the one Ryoga had fled from.

Akane was unable to tear her eyes from the girl. She couldn't imagine what she was feeling...why had she been in the restaurant anyway? Just in time to hear Ryoga confess.

_Why is nothing making sense?_

A cold chill filled her veins, and she wished the other patrons of the restaurant would finish going about their own business. Picking up her change purse, she walked up to the entranceway that she had originally come in from, and stopped to look from one side to the other.

"Ranma...are you here? If you are, come out," she said quietly, as though afraid that if she said it too loudly and he was not there, it would just make things more embarrasing. When nothing happened right away, she slumped her shoulders, and took a step forward. However before her other foot could go forward, she heard a rustling to her right. Before she could blink, Ranma stood beside her, looking sheepish. Sheepish for Ranma anyway, which wasn't very. Just looking at his face confirmed her suspicions that there was more going on here then she had been told, and that Ranma was hiding things from her. Again.

"How didja know I was there?" he asked. Narrowing her eyes, Akane raised a fist and hit him as hard as she could. Watching him fly off into the air, she sniffed, then started running up the stairs. He had been there. She was right, he had been there, watching her the whole time. What for? He couldn't possibly have been enough of a jerk to want to watch that display for personal reasons. No, this was beyond that. Far beyond that.

Ranma was involved. She wasn't sure how yet, but he was involved. Ignoring how some of the stress had left her at the strike, and the fact that he was there when she was upset, she instead focused on how she had been played. Used. Like a piece in a puzzle, like a toy, like a...like a pawn.

"Hey! What was that for?" he complained when he caught up with her again.

"You're hiding something from me," she accused, looking at him with murder in her eyes. He couldn't possibly expect her to believe that he didn't know why she was angry. Was he that dense?

"Feh. I do you a favour, and you're all up in my face," he said, shaking his head as they started walking again. Akane held her head high, fuming and wanting to push him away, but also wanting Ranma near so she could get more details. The punch had felt good; a lot of the weight had just melted off, as though it had flown away with him.

"A favour? You call that a favour? You could've prepared me at the very least! I looked like a complete idiot there, and then even more of a fool when I tried to stutter out an apology to poor Ryoga and Akari. What were you thinking? That everything would be okay, and work itself out?" She asked, hitting him again in the shoulder, though not as hard. His reaction was the same as though a fly had hit him, and that just made her even more mad. How could he be such a jerk? To make her play out that scene and be so casual about it. A favour! Of all the things to call it.

"Maybe. What's it matter? It's over now, anyway," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets irritably. _I wonder if he did it all on his own...Nabiki brought the note originally...then she came along with us, too.._. But she suddenly was not in the mood to find out who else was to blame; Ranma was guilty, and he was easier to fight then Nabiki.

"Saying that doesn't make it better! Idiot," she said, as her battle aura prickled. Fighting back tears of stress, she took in one long, deep breath then let it out. She hated to admit it, but Ranma was right on that point at least. It was over and done with, and despite how much beating on him allowed anger to be released, it wasn't worth the effort.

"Was Ukyo part of the plan too?" she asked, suddenly remembering about the okonomiyaki chef running after Ryoga.

"Nah. Didn't expect to see her there," he replied simply. Frowning, Akane replayed that part of the night in her mind; Ukyo getting up from behind the bushes, with Ryoga's things no less, and running after him. She had always suspected there was something going on between the two, but they denied it up and down.

"Stop poutin' about it, Akane. It's one down, ain't it? You're the one who was so set on startin'," said Ranma. Akane looked up at him, confused at first, then felt her face heat up as she realized what he meant. One suitor? One suitor down? All that to tick a person off the list? Her aura flickered violently, but she didn't lash out, as something else occured to her.

Ranma...cared? About telling their suitors? He had picked an incredibly stupid way to do it, but the fact that he cared was a problem. It made her less angry, and instead just bewildered. Violently bewildered, but all the same. She wondered how dumbfounded her face looked, and tried to shake the expression away.

"That's what this was all for? Well, gee, Ranma, I don't know _how_ to thank you," she said sarcastically.

"What was I supposed to do? Let him keep droolin' over clueless you?" he asked, his voice giving away that he actually did care about the situation. An odd twinkle came into Akane's eyes, and she looked up at him, the anger melting away to amusement. Dark amusement. _So Ranma did know...this whole time...and judging from his face...oh wow, his face is so plain right now, I can read it like a book!_

"You were worried!" she cried, pointing at him accusingly. Ranma's eyes widened, then he looked away, quickly covering it with his usual nonchalant attitude.

"Don't be dumb, of course I wasn't," he said. Akane still smiled mischievously, her step lighter now as she had caught him with his guard down. _I knew it! For all his talk, I just knew it!_

"No need to be ashamed. Everyone worries, even people as thick headed as you," she said smugly. This was much more fun then beating on him physically. Ranma's ego was the size of China; picking at it irritated him much more then a punch to the heavens, or a gender-changing water dunk.

"And who'd worry over an uncute girl like you?" he challenged, stopping to face her. Undaunted, Akane smirked, her hands on her hips.

"You, apparently, stupid. And don't you ever make an elaborate plan like that without consulting me again, got it?" She said, starting to walk away. She thought she caught some rather uncomplimentary grumbles, but Ranma still followed her as they headed back home to the Tendo house.

_One down...and Ranma initiated it. But...why does he have to be so stupid about things like this? There better not be anything else he's keeping from me, or I swear I'll..._

But she didn't voice her threats, or question him. Instead they walked home in silence, pointedly not talking to each other the entire way.

* * *

><p><em>"I stared at lonely nights<br>Those days, I was in darkness  
>Why did I ever meet you?<br>I finally found you."_ - "Love Seeker", Ranma 1/2

Ryoga could not stop running. Despite his efforts, and the efforts of the brown-haired girl running almost fast enough to catch up with him, his legs would not cease to race each other forward. His heart pounded, and his breath came out in ragged, short gasps. He always had been a fast runner, and now without his pack on his back (and instead with his pursuer, no doubt) he was even faster. He dodged people, bicycles, carts, stands, anything or everything that didn't leap out of his way. Faster and faster he ran, turning corners, running up and down streets, though still hearing his pursuer calling his name and ordering him to stop. Ukyo's voice came to him as though from the bottom of a well, and his mind didn't want to register it.

It only wanted to hear Akane, or maybe Akari. But he knew he couldn't bare to face either one, right now, for different reasons.

He had no idea where he was going. Just forward, though forward was starting to get complicated. Behind him, he heard Ukyo cursing at someone, and realized that she was no longer so close. Dodging a small vehicle, he drew from within himself to go faster. To run harder. Soon he didn't even hear Ukyo anymore, or anyone else. Nothing but his feet pounding endlessly on the ground, and even barely that.

_I'm sorry Ukyo...but don't follow me...I only mess things up. I'm...I'm no better then Ranma!_

Tears briefly touched the corners of his eyes as he kept on running towards the outskirts of town. In his mind an image of Akane stung him, with her beauty, her mind, and her rejection. Stung him to the core, to be only replaced by Akari. Seeing that image hurt all the more, because he knew that he had hurt the poor girl. That he was still hurting her, by not rushing back to explain. There was nothing he could do to take back what had happened.

_I can only hope she'll forgive me. I'm sorry, Akari...I'm sorry, but..._

Ryoga was getting quite used to being sorry, and recognized this bitterly. Still though, he ran on, needing time to think, and to expel his anger. Anger at life, and mostly, anger with himself.


	5. Masculine, Feminine, Who Decides?

**Part 2: Mighty Ukyo**

**Chapter 1: Feminine, Masculine, who Decides?**

She was getting nervous now, and she knew it. Her hands, normally so careful, trembled and refused to obey. Her eyes twitched, and her skin jumped whenever something dared to make an unexpected noise. Even Konatsu, her housemate and sole employee, was taking extra steps to not trigger her.

Standing at her bar, she rested her elbows on the safe portion and plunked her chin into the rounded formation of her palms. Her large, anxious brown eyes stared forward at the door, waiting.

Whoever said that waiting was the hardest part wasn't kidding.

There weren't even customers right then. Ukyo's restaurant hadn't seen a hungry face since she had been on her morning run, and none of them had managed to follow her back. The run, at least, had felt nice. Something to take her mind off of things for a while, and let her body just work.

_Maybe that's why I haven't seen Ryoga. He didn't want to have to deal with anything, and just kept running. Heh. If anyone could keep up that sort of pace, it'd be him._ She rolled her eyes to the ceiling, and thought of his pack that was upstairs. The umbrella was in a corner in the kitchen, since it was too heavy for her to want to carry upstairs. She thought it odd that he hadn't come back for them, but reasoned that he was still too upset to care about it.

"No one's come for a while. Maybe we should advertise? I could go outside, and see if I could attract customers," offered Konatsu. He was always suggesting things like that, when business was slow. Ukyo touched a finger to her cheek, considering.

"No, thanks. In my condition, it's best to have as few customers as possible," she replied. _Despite the agony of waiting, that is._

"Do you want me to get anything for you, then? Is there anything I can do?" he asked. This time Ukyo did turn around to look at her waiter. In his eyes, there was a look of devotion, and mild sadness at seeing her upset. Ukyo had no idea what she could say to him, though. She didn't want to explain that she was upset over Ranma. It had occurred to her, after her visit from Ryoga, that Ranma would no doubt pay her a visit soon. Despite that she was above such a term as suitor, she was a fiancee, and Akane would no doubt force Ranma into telling her to back off.

"No, I'm fine," she replied, turning back to her door. The black-haired man gave up, and sat down on a nearby chair.

_Maybe I should talk to Konatsu, soon...but what if...Arg, I hate this!_ There was an added confusion to the situation. Konatsu's personality, often feminine as was his general appearance, often made the man hard to figure out. Ukyo couldn't tell if he liked her as a friend, or had a crush on her, or respected her as a employer, or was head over heels in love. Confused signals came off of him in waves, and she wasn't sure that she wanted to test what talking about Ranma would result in.

As though sensing Ukyo's thoughts, Konatsu got up and left the room. Ukyo frowned, but said nothing. She knew she was unpleasant to be with right then. That probably was why he had opted to leave, finally. The silence of the room embraced her, and she felt lighter now that she wasn't being watched.

"I lived most of my life as a boy...so why can't I figure out the ones around me?" she said to the empty room. Finding the silence annoying, she began cleaning the counter again, wondering when her next customer would arrive, and if it would be Ranma.

* * *

><p><em>"Just so you know, if some dark stranger asks me<br>I might go...and so...don't blame me  
>when you're lonely. We're sailing out<br>to see the ship and me!"_

On another side of town, two young women sat inside of an ice cream shop each eating a sundae of ice cream, chocolate, and fruit. One of them, Ranma, ate her ice cream as though possessed. Her expression was of pure bliss, to the amusement and disgust of her companion on the opposite side of the table.

Akane, sitting across from her, frowned. Although she was enjoying the ice cream as well, she ate more slowly, occasionally raising an eyebrow at Ranma when she felt it warranted. The latter, unfortunately, was not terribly affected.

"Ya know, you're the one who suggested ice cream. You don't have to keep giving me that look," said the redhead, stopping her eating to shake a finger mockingly at Akane. She smirked, and rolled her eyes.

"It doesn't mean you have to keep eating like that. Don't you have any shame, Ranma?" asked Akane.

"Nope," replied Ranma happily. But she did duck her head, no doubt in case Akane decided to smack her for having a smart remark. She declined, however, and Ranma soon resumed position.

Akane continued eating her ice cream, trying not to watch the mess her fiancé was making. It wasn't really that much of a mess, but something about it was just too unladylike. It didn't matter that the red-haired girl was really black-haired Ranma, and most certainly a male. Right now, Ranma was female; most likely, the people around her assumed she was a she. It was beyond Akane why she didn't get that.

They finished their sundaes and rose from their benches, Akane lagging behind slightly. Trying not to look at Ranma grinning sweetly at the cashier, she managed to overhear Ranma swaying him into a discount. As usual. As they left the restaurant, Akane shook her head. _They'd never give me a discount if I acted all girly like that. Then again, I wouldn't stoop to that over ice cream. Really! _She wasn't angry, though; soon she let it go, as they walked down the sidewalk, Ranma walking in long, mannish strides while Akane swayed elegantly along beside.

"Hey, do you want to go anywhere else while we're out?" asked Ranma. Akane was then torn between two decisions, and rubbed her chin as she thought. On the one hand, she liked having someone to spend time with, and she did want to go to one of the shopping centers downtown. On the other hand...she had promised Kasumi that she would be home early, to help clean. _It's still early though...we have plenty of time. Besides, Nabiki should be home by now._ Akane nodded, making her decision.

"Let's go downtown, I need to pick up a few things anyway," said Akane. Nodding agreeably, Ranma lead the way.

On the next street over, they came to a small clothing store that Akane liked, and she tugged Ranma easily into it. While Akane browsed through the clothing, Ranma seemed more reluctant, preferring to keep to one side or answer her if Akane asked what she thought of something. Seeing a blue and grey outfit that she liked, Akane went into a dressing room to try it on. Once done, and satisfied, she came back to see Ranma waiting semi-patiently by the counter, tossing a balled up paper she had found somewhere into the air and catching it.

"Done?" she asked, looking at the clothing Akane held.

"Yup, for this store anyway. Just one more stop to make," she replied, then went to the cashier to pay. _Eep, and that will be the last stop. I need to watch my money more,_ she thought, as she looked at the receipt. Frowning, she followed Ranma out of the store.

As they exited, Akane noticed a small commotion further up in the street; people were dodging out of the way, and she thought she heard something about a pig. Before she could brace herself, Ranma had pulled her towards the other side of the walkway, probably so she could easily protect her if need be.

"Watch out, Akane. Somethin's coming," said Ranma, looking defensive. She allowed herself to be protected, despite that she didn't feel the need. _Best to wait and see what it is first,_ she reasoned.

As the crowd parted in front of them, Akane and Ranma both crouched, ready to pounce or flee as was needed. Whatever was coming wasn't big. It made people walk to one side, and turn around with annoyed and curious expressions on their faces. Occasionally, it made someone stumble, or curse, but no one seemed hurt. So far. The lack of screaming women following it ruled out Happosai. What else was small and ran that fast, to cause commotion? Could it be a child? A wild animal?

Finally, the wave of parting people came to them, and Akane tensed in preparation, her eyes narrowed in expectation. Ranma was quite tense as well, eyes intent on the same spot. It was coming in three...two...

From the opening sea of people, a small, black piglet flew out, a yellow and black bandanna around its neck. Akane immediately relaxed, recognizing it as P-chan. Although he often disappeared, he had been gone for quite a while this time. Relieved to see that he was okay, she smiled, opening her arms to the pig.

"P-chan! I was wondering where you were," she cried to the animal, and watched as he ran by them, then stopped. Slowly, he turned his head, looking at Akane with large, sad eyes. Beside her, Ranma sighed, and muttered something Akane didn't quite catch.

"P-chan? Come here, P-chan," she called. P-chan hesitated though, turning his body towards her, but not approaching. People around them, recognizing Ranma and Akane as the "owners" of the pig, scowled but didn't stick around to comment. Akane was too worried to pay attention, anyway. Why wasn't P-chan coming to her?

"P-chan? It's Akane. Don't tell me you don't remember me," she said, taking two steps closer and kneeling, to be closer to eye level. The small piglet seemed to be fighting something. Again, he turned towards Akane, then looked to her shoulder, as though to look at Ranma. With a weak, pained squeal, P-chan turned tail and ran back in the direction he had been heading. Startled, Akane got up to run after him, but Ranma pulled her arm, staying her. Quickly, P-chan disappeared into the crowd.

"Hey! What was that for, Ranma?" asked Akane as she turned to look at her, surprised to see seriousness in her face.

"Let 'im go," she said.

"But...he looked hurt. I should go after him," she countered, freeing her arm from Ranma's grip.

"He didn't come when ya called, what makes ya think he's gonna when you go after him?"

"Well true...that was odd, for P-chan," said Akane quietly, looking in the direction which P-chan had run off into. The piglet had looked...sad. Like he was going to cry. She felt Ranma tug on her sleeve, then let go. Turning around, she saw the redhead walking in the opposite direction, towards the other store.

"Do whatcha want. But I don't think he wants company right now," said Ranma. Looking sour, Akane shook her head, but realized that Ranma was right. P-chan had not responded to her at all the way he usually did; could it have been a different pig? But he wore P-chan's bandanna. Expelling heavy air, Akane looked at Ranma, and decided.

"I should go after him, just in case. I'll meet you back home later, okay?" she said, watching Ranma's back. The redhead slumped her shoulders for a moment, then looked back at Akane. Her clear demonstration of dislike for this plan was lost on Akane though, as she was still focused on P-chan.

"Whatever. Later," said Ranma, as she strode away.

"I won't be long," promised Akane. Choosing her path, Akane headed in the direction P-chan had sped off towards, wondering why Ranma always became annoyed when it came to her pet. P-chan had never done anything to him, had he? With a determined look on her face, Akane headed off, using the slightly confused pedestrians as her guide.

* * *

><p>Ranma kicked a rather innocent looking rock, sending it flying. It missed hitting anyone, and bounced harmlessly off of the side of a building. Her expression was unreadable; upset, yet calm. Inside she fought for a decision. She did want to go after Akane, she really did. She even wanted to help her, in a way. But not to find P-chan. Or Ryoga, the pig's true identity. Really, she was helping by not going. Ryoga needed to be kept away from Akane, to make a clean break. The more Akane saw P-chan, the likelier she would eventually find out the truth. That had to be stopped; things were messy enough as it was.<p>

_Maybe I should go with her. If I can keep her from catching up, maybe stupid Ryoga will learn to lie low while in pig form for a while,_ she realized, then raised a hand to brush away some hair from her face. Deciding that it was better then letting Akane catch the pig, she turned around and headed back where they had seen P-chan. Akane was already long gone; she was almost as fast as Ranma, especially since she had been doing more training lately.

To avoid the crowd, Ranma jumped on the roof of a nearby cart, then leapt out over to a fence, running along it's thin surface smoothly. _I should be able to overtake her, from up here. _She ran quickly and gracefully, getting the occasional look from people on the street, but not from many. Most people in Nerima knew of Ranma Saotome by now, and weren't quite as impressed by a woman - or man - running on a fence.

She didn't think she'd be able to find P-chan easily, but she did see Akane after a few minutes. The girl was staying towards the side of the road, stopping at every crossroad to decide which way to go. The cold feeling of rejection that she had felt, after tugging Akane's sleeve and her not following, came back as she looked at the girl. What did that idiot need, a written invitation? They were supposed to spend the late afternoon relaxing, not chasing after stupid P-chan. Eyes narrowed, she watched Akane still, following her efforts.

In a few cases, Akane was even stopping people to ask them, but as more and more of them shook their heads no, Akane's face became sadder, and more determined.

_Well that's whatcha get for not listening to me and going after P-chan,_ thought Ranma, not feeling as irritated as she sounded in her head. She didn't want Akane to be upset, unless it was upset at giving her the brush off. And that was not the case, here.

Without a second thought, Ranma continued to follow her, keeping an eye out for P-chan as well. _With his luck, Ryoga's probably at the other end of town by now. Feh._ Seeing Akane change directions, Ranma leapt off the gate, ran onto the road, then began following on the road herself. Despite her lack of luck, Akane kept up at the same pace.

It looked like it was going to be a long evening.

* * *

><p>Panicking, the small black piglet let out a fretful squeal, then dove down underneath another cart. Running at full speed, he came out the other side, scrambling as quickly as his little legs would take it. Ryoga tried to keep himself close to the shadows as he ducked underneath another cart, then turned left. He had to turn off somewhere; it was possible for him to keep up this pace as a human, no problem. But as a pig, that was another matter. He would have to stop soon, and rest. Already he was going almost as fast as his human counterpart could go; he was confident he had outrun Akane and Ranma, at least. He wasn't even entirely sure they were following, but he had a feeling Akane might be.<p>

They had surprised him, appearing like that. Then the way Akane had called to him...looking at Ranma and seeing the cold look there was the only way he had been able to run. However badly he wanted to be in Akane's arms, he knew it just wasn't right, and he wouldn't be happy that way. It just wasn't...right...

"Hey look mom, a pig! Isn't he cute?" he heard a little girl call. With another squeal, Ryoga dodged the arms of the offending human, and ran off into another direction. The last thing he needed at this point was to be adopted. He needed protection; a hiding place.

His nose caught the scent of food, familiar and at the same time he was unable to place it. Running at full speed again, he found the building that was the source of the smell. Despite having a bad sense of direction, his sense of smell rarely failed him; there was definitely food in there. Good food. But unfortunately, there was also a door to go through. After taking a few steps back, he charged and rammed his head into the door, hoping the owner of the place would open it to check on the noise. Nothing happened immediately, and he panicked as he heard the girl start to catch up with him. Stepping back again, he prepared for a fierce run, and managed to sail through just as the door was opening. A squeal escaped his mouth as he realized that he was now inside, but not necessarily for long. Quickly, he spotted a stairway and scrambled up it, then spotted a doorway that was just open enough for him to enter.

"Hey, is anyone there? Hello?" called a familiar voice below. Female. A few steps, and then the front door closed.

"I could've sworn there was something there. And I thought I heard a squealing...I must be going crazy." That was all he heard as he trotted further into the room, hiding under what he thought was a table against the far wall. It was a dark room, chilly but warmer then outside. Deciding that it would be a good place to rest, Ryoga leaned against the wall, then curled up into a small ball. It wasn't long before he fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.


	6. Okonomiyaki of (Platonic) Love

**Chapter 2: Okonomiyaki of (Platonic) Love**

It was getting late. They had been searching for the better part of a half hour now, and although Ranma could search for much longer, it was becoming tiresome. Akane didn't seem to be faring much better herself, half jogging with her shoulders slumped, looking more frustrated by the moment. No one had even seen P-chan, as far as Ranma could tell, since the first five minutes of their search. Clearly they had taken a wrong turn quite a while ago (or, as was more likely, Ryoga had taken a wrong turn) and now they were completely off track.

"Hey! Akane!" called Ranma, now male, running up to the girl who looked only half surprised to see him there. Partway through the journey he had seen a cart that was selling tea and coffee, and on an impulse had used hot water from it to change himself back into his real form. After he had ducked down below the cart, at least. The owner had been surprised to see a girl duck down, then a guy straighten back up, but Ranma hadn't given him time to say anything.

Akane half turned towards him, letting him catch up to her. She looked sad, and frustrated, but still composed as he sauntered over to face her. Her expression showed that she was not at all surprised to see that he had been around without her knowing. Again.

"I didn't see him either. He probably found someplace to hide; searching for 'im now would take forever. Like I said, he doesn't wanna be found," said Ranma. He knew Akane still didn't want to hear that. It was obvious in her glassy, silver eyes that she disagreed, but she gave in all the same, much to Ranma's relief. The way she dropped Ranma sometimes to devote her attention to P-chan really irked him.

"I just don't understand. P-chan never runs away from me. Why would he...?" She stopped, letting the question ask itself.

"Who knows. But P-chan's not a defenseless housepet, anyway. He always comes and goes. You should stop worrying over that stupid pig," said Ranma. Akane tried to hit him, but her heart obviously wasn't in it as he was able to easily dodge her fist.

_That's it, let it out on me...just don't run away from me again like that, idiot._

"P-chan's not stupid."

"Fine, fine. He's not here either, though. C'mon."

Pushing Akane's shoulder, he began to walk forward, noticing Akane sigh, then give in and walk along with him. It was still quite light outside, and rather warm; definitely not a day to be running around looking for a pig. Akane still had the package she had bought earlier in her hand, as well. He was tempted to take it from her, since she looked tired, but decided not to. After telling her to give up on P-chan, insinuating that she couldn't carry her own bag would probably only look patronizing to her, rather then nice.

"I just wish I knew why he ran off like that. He looked so sad. Did you see his eyes, Ranma? I didn't know an animal could show that much pain. It was...it was almost human," she said quietly. Luckily, Akane was behind him and missed the nervous expression on Ranma's face. _Almost human? Try actually human. _She was too distracted to notice anything though, even if she had been looking at him. That was just as bad, in a way; he didn't want Akane to be unhappy, or moping about P-chan. Not when he had just reclaimed her.

"Hey, are you hungry? Why don't we go eat somewhere? My treat," he offered, as they kept walking forward. _What restaurants are around here anyway? There's a takayaki place, a Chinese restaurant...an okomomiyaki place, an American restaurant..._ He noticed Akane tilting her head, as though considering.

"Isn't Ukyo's restaurant around here? I could go for some okonomiyaki. Plus I've been meaning to ask her about that night, with Ryoga...I want to find out why she was there." Ranma stopped in his tracks as he heard her request, and looked down at his companion. Despite their friendship, or maybe because of it, Ranma didn't want to see Ukyo right then. She was one of the so called fiancees that he had to turn down. Despite how he had pushed Akane into starting, he didn't feel ready to do any turning down himself. Not today. Not right now.

Studying Akane's face and her changing expression, he realized that she was determined about this, and felt a flood of annoyance overcome him. _Dammit...she's always so stubborn..._ Trying to look decided on the matter, Ranma stood tall, looking down at her.

"No," he said, his voice firm.

"No?" asked Akane, an eyebrow raised, "Why not? You need to have a talk with Ukyo anyway, don't you?"

"Yeah, but...I can't do it just like that, Akane. Me 'n Ukyo...we've been friends for so long. It'll...it'll kill her," he said. _And probably me in the process._ Silently he willed Akane to give in, but he knew it wouldn't be that simple.

"I see," she said, sounding calm. Too calm. Feeling panic rising in him, part of him told him to stop being an idiot over a girl, while the other part, still wanting to salvage the day, fought to find a solution. He needed to calm Akane, and get her to stop thinking about it. What was the best way to do it? He couldn't just change the subject, not now. Not easily.

"It's not like I love her or anything. But I was thinking, maybe I should save Ukyo for last. Cause you know, she's-"

"The hardest? The only other fiancée that you've actually gotten to know and were friends with? The only one who you'll actually miss if she decides she can't handle being just friends with you, and decides to cut off the friendship?" finished Akane, looking up at him now. Her eyes were determined orbs of steel, and if he hadn't known better, he would have thought she was about to cry.

"What do you-?"

_Uh-oh._ A sort of sixth sense, not a martial artist's sense but close, kicked in and punched him in the face. Grimly, he realized that he was not getting out of this. Akane was passionate, determined, and upset. A small voice told him that it was his fault, but he pushed it away irritably. Her face was so sad, right now. It just took his breath away.

"Ranma...if you need more time, just say so. We don't have to get married right away. We're still young, we're only eighteen. But I...I told Ryoga, that I couldn't pursue anything with him. It hurt me deeply, because that hurt Ryoga, and I consider him a friend. Telling Kuno or Gosunkugi won't hurt me at all, but telling Ryoga was different. In the end, I made a sacrifice; it may have been sped up by a confession, but it was a sacrifice. If you want to be with me, you'll have to tell Ukyo eventually. Chances are, she's already expecting it anyway. Are you going to wait, keeping your conscience clear while she waits for you to reject her? Or are you going to tell her soon, and lessen the overall pain for both of you? It's...it's up to you." Ranma blinked, looking at her silently. _Ugh, I hate it when she corners me like this..._ He crossed his arms.

"I'm gonna tell her. Soon. And I can do it without you goading me, too," he said flatly. He couldn't believe she had the gall to question him. Seeing her firm face, though, he sighed, then rephrased his thoughts. No, she certainly had the gall. She was Akane Tendo, after all. Thick, and stubborn, and single minded, and...and...

_She knows how I feel about the situation. Doesn't she?_

"Then why don't you don't you be a man and prove it?" she challenged.

"Don't wanna."

"Are you scared?"

"Of course not!"

The two glared at each other, electricity passing between their eyes as they held their positions firmly. Finally, Akane shifted her weight, and narrowed her eyes.

"Well if you're not scared, what are you waiting for? For Ukyo to come to you?" she asked.

"Hey, now wait a minute." This was a trap. He could see her laying it out for him, right before his eyes. It was a trap, and she had already started luring him into it. He had no way out. Realizing this, he tensed up, as though bars had just been put around him.

"Idiot. You can't even do a simple thing like this?" asked Akane, turning her back to him and crossing her arms. Ranma glared at her back, then quickly stepped around her to face her again.

"Of course I can!"

"Then why are you still standing here?" she asked, more quietly. _Stupid Akane...why do you always have to be like this..._ Despite his thoughts, her face and her obvious feelings were affecting him. As much as he wanted to keep his pride, he didn't want to be the source of her anger.

Ranma considered his options. Sure, he could run away and just ignore her, but it was bad enough that Akane had run off from him once that day already. He didn't want to end up being the selfish, ungrateful person that he had already thought Akane to be. If he stayed, there was no arguing with her now; she'd be hurt if he said no. The idiot would take it as a direct challenge to how he felt about her, and their relationship.

_So much for peace.._ There was only one way out of this now, that wouldn't end with Akane hating him for a week. Only one way...even if it did take his masculinity into question. He shoved that part of himself deep down, though, trying to ignore it, and instead focused on Akane's sad, determined face that looked up at him questioningly. He had all but thrust her at Ryoga, pulled the strings to make her break his heart. She was doing him a favour by at least being open about her intentions; he had been much more sneaky, with his.

"Fine, fine. I suppose you're...well...let's just go to Ucchan's. It's not far from here," he said, making sure he was walking in front of her. He did not want to see the satisfied smile that was most likely gracing her face right then.

Silently they turned, heading down the familiar street to their destination. He realized he had absolutely no idea what he was going to say to Ukyo, when he got there. _I'll just have to wing it...tell her something...talk to her. Ukyo'll understand. Good old Ucchan._

The weight of responsibility was hurting his shoulders as he marched on, making him feel like he was on his way to confess a crime. But they kept on still, silently making their way to Ucchan's.

linebreak

"Are you sure you didn't see anything, sugar? You checked everywhere?" asked Ukyo, as Konatsu came back down the stairs. She had told him about the odd sound at the door, followed by the suspicious noises soon after. It had taken her all of a minute to realize what those noises could be; a pig. Immediately she had started going through the rooms in the lower level, expecting to see P-chan cowering in a corner somewhere. When Konatsu found her searching, she explained quickly that she thought Akane's pet P-chan had gotten into the restaurant. Not wanting to go into detail about how the pig also happened to be Ryoga, she had just asked him to help her search. Konatsu had been overjoyed to help, but they had searched the whole place up and down. No little black piglets with a yellow and black bandanna, as far as they could see.

"I'm sure. Unless it's one heck of a fast pig; most animals can't hide from me," he boasted. _Hmm, maybe we should take that it's Ryoga into consideration...if he didn't want to be found, it's possible he could remain hidden from us. But why? Why is he still hiding? And why in my restaurant, if he won't just show himself?_ Konatsu gave Ukyo a curious look, but the latter didn't say anything. Picking up a broom in the corner of the room, Konatsu started sweeping the floor.

"It's possible he found a window, and got out. Or that it wasn't Akane's pig at all," he suggested.

"Eh, that's true. Thought I'd try, though," Ukyo said, sitting back down behind the bar. Picking up a nearby rag, she began cleaning off the sides of the grill, distractedly picking off bits of food with one of her spare spatulas. When there was another sound at the door a minute later, she surprised herself by jumping over the grill and the bar, waiting for the door to open completely.

This time there actually was a person, though. Two people, in fact. Ranma and Akane stood there, looking at Ukyo with nervous expressions. Well, Ranma's looked nervous, for a minute at least. Then he forced his mouth to a smile. Akane looked uncomfortable, as though she feared she was intruding. Ukyo wanted to tell her that she was, but bit her tongue; if Ranma was welcome, Akane would have to be welcome too. The three had been through too much together for Ukyo to start turning inhospitable.

"Ranma-honey. Akane. Hi," she said dully, feeling her skin turn cold and clammy, and her knees weaken at the sight of Ranma. His smile was just so captivating, she didn't realize that her lips were still parted slightly, and that she was staring. At his beautiful blue eyes, his boyish, flawless face, his gorgeous ebony hair, his stylish clothing, his...

"Hey, Ucchan. Can we get some food? I'm starved. I'll have...uhh...beef okonomiyaki. Akane, what do ya want?" he asked, as he sat down at the bar. Ukyo shook herself out of her stupor of admiration, and walked back around to the other side quickly, starting to get the ingredients out.

"No problem, Ranma-honey," she said pleasantly, trying to calm her racing heart. She looked over at Akane, waiting for her order, but the girl had an expression of such pity on her face that Ukyo looked away. _I do NOT want your pity, Akane Tendo. Just...just no._ Her smile was more forced now, and so was Ranma's. She could hear Konatsu still sweeping on one side of the room.

"I'll have the same," said Akane, sitting down beside Ranma.

"Sure thing. So uhh...nice day, isn't it? I'm surprised I haven't been getting more customers, but maybe okonomiyaki isn't so good to eat when it's hot," she said casually.

"Nah, your food's always good," said Ranma, followed by a quick 'ow, hey!' as Akane elbowed him in the ribs. They stared at each other a moment, looking as though they were going to get into one of their arguments, but then they quickly looked away. For some reason, Akane was suddenly interested in what Konatsu was doing, and followed his movements. Ranma began playing with the seat beside him, making it spin, and looking like he was trying to think of things to say. His compliment, which had cheered her, was ruined by that reaction. As though it hadn't really been sincere, but just something to say.

"Oh, Ukyo. I was wondering about something," asked Akane, turning back to Ukyo just as she was slapping the dough onto the grill. Ukyo didn't look up, instead she concentrated on getting the sauce, ingredients and spices on correctly. She did not particularly want to look at Ranma's chosen fiancee right now.

"What's that?" she asked, casually. _Still with the casual...no, nothing's happened. Has anything happened, really? We're all just getting our reality, here. All getting...much needed doses of reality. Ugh. Ranma hasn't even started talking to me about it yet, and I'm already feeling like I want to throw composure out the window. And reality along with it._

"About that night...with Ryoga. Did you eventually catch up with him?" she asked. Ukyo flipped the okonomiyaki with spectacular skill, then added more spice, getting plates ready to put them on. The question registered in her mind as a relatively easy one, and she shook her head.

"Nope. He's quite the runner, that boy. I lost him within five minutes. Or should I say, he lost me. Without his pack and umbrella, he's much faster then I had imagined."

"You still have his stuff?" asked Ranma. His voice sent her heart into flutters, but she controlled it, angry with herself at being so girlish. _Must be the nervousness...I'm not normally this bad._

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Isn't it odd? Hasn't been back for it yet, and I think it's been a week now. Something like that anyway, right?" she replied. The okonomiyaki now done, she flipped it onto the plates, and watched with tainted pleasure as Ranma immediately shoved a quarter of it into his mouth. Akane took the time to cut hers and take a smaller bite, but she still seemed to enjoy it just as much.

"Interesting how you happened to be in the restaurant, that night," said Akane. Ranma looked at her out of the corner of his eye, then went back to the food quietly. Ukyo had the oddest feeling that his silence just then was a very wise choice.

"Oh, that? I found Ryoga earlier in the day, wandering the streets. He told me about the meeting and knowing how he gets lost, I figured I'd just walk him there. I didn't think he'd run out like that, though," replied Ukyo, sitting back down on a stool behind the bar. She had been annoyed at the accusatory tone in Akane's voice, but now the blue-haired girl looked sad at the mention of that night. _Yeah...that had to be hard on both of them. Where did you go, Ryoga?_

Ranma finished his food in a few more bites, then gazed at his plate, looking lost. Konatsu had left the room now, obviously sensing the mood that had just fallen. Akane finished her meal quietly, then fixed her unruffled skirt. Quickly, Ukyo grabbed the plates, pulling them back over to her side of the bar. Foreboding and dread were weights that would break her shoulders, they were so heavy and depressing.

"Seconds?" she heard her own voice squeak. Despite the fact that Ukyo had asked the question, Ranma looked over at Akane, who tilted her head.

"Maybe I should wait outside," said Akane, suddenly.

"No. No, wait...and no, Ukyo, there's no sense in putting this off anymore."

"In...in putting it off?" asked Ukyo. _Oh god, he's going to say it right here. In front of Akane. Right in my restaurant. He's going to break my heart right here and now._ Forcibly, Ukyo put her hands on the table and looked at Ranma.

"Can we talk upstairs, for a minute?" he asked. Ukyo nodded, slowly walking around the bar. As she passed by Akane, she noticed that the girl was determined not to look at her. Suddenly deciding that she most certainly didn't want to be pitied, Ukyo put her chin up, and started for the stairway.

"Sure, Ranma-honey. Come on up. We won't be long Akane, just sit tight. And can you tell Konatsu if any customers come in?" asked Ukyo, hand on the rail.

"Don't worry, Ukyo," replied Akane. She didn't know if the girl was answering her question, or preparing her for the conversation with Ranma. Nodding, Ukyo let go of the rail, and started walking upstairs. Ranma wasn't far behind her.

It was one of the longest climbs up those stairs that she had ever had. With each step, she was both happy that Ranma was following her upstairs, and unhappy that he was, knowing the reason for it. When they finally reached the top, she opened the door to her bedroom, turning on the light. Her eyes missed the odd shadow that snuck under a low table in a corner when she they entered, and Ukyo planted herself down on the floor unhappily. Ranma walked in slowly, appearing to be unsure about whether or not to close the door. Finally, he sat himself down in front of her, and fixed her an even gaze. Ukyo could not help but be melted by those dark, full, blue eyes. She restrained herself though, sitting up straight and looking calmly ahead. After clearing his throat, Ranma began.

"Ucchan...we've been friends a long time. You're my oldest friend, ya know? I've known you longer then anyone, aside from my Pop."

"You're my oldest friend too, Ranma," she said, her voice sounding oddly throaty._ No, no, no, Ukyo. Don't you dare make this hard on him. It's hard enough as it is, _she scolded herself. Ranma just nodded, looking down at his hands. He appeared to be making a tent shape with his fingers. Slowly Ukyo tried to control her emotions, sort them, categorize them, but the fear and sadness from rejection was coming on too fast. Soon it would overtake her, and she had to be ready for that. She had to be prepared.

_Oh god, I'm so not ready..._

"I don't wanna lose your friendship. But, if you wanna be friends with me...you have to understand. What I feel for you...it's friendship. Just that. I'd trust you with my life, but I'm not–"

"In love with me?" Ukyo asked, cutting him off. She hated the hopeful sound that had spiced her voice, in that question. Yet the hope was in her still; a fallen blossom, tainted by the darker feelings around it. It was in her, no matter how hard she tried to push it away, to deny it. There was no hope for a relationship with Ranma, not now. Not anymore.

"Yeah. I know it's hard for you to accept."

"Well yeah, it is, you know? And you come in here, with the uncute fiancé, expecting this to be easy? Well it's not easy. Not at all!" said Ukyo. Getting her spatula from her back, she whacked him with it hard before realizing what she was doing.

"Ow! Hey! What was that for?" asked Ranma, rubbing his shoulder where she had hit. Striking at him had felt oddly good, for about one tenth of a second. But now that it was over, guilt washed over her and the bad feelings came back to surface.

"Payback," sniffed Ukyo, tears coming into her eyes. Ranma sighed, then looked at her awkwardly.

"What, you think I'm telling you this to hurt you? You know better then that. Stop acting like a stupid girl and..."

*WHAP!*

"Arg...," he said, as Ukyo put away the spatula. This time she didn't feel so much guilt. He had been asking for that one, insulting her like that.

"Are you even listening to me?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

"I'm trying, but it's not exactly easy," she said, her voice harsh.

"I never said it would be easy," he countered.

"I know, but Ranma-honey...you were my first love. You broke my heart when you went away, and then when I found you again...you put my heart back together. You made me whole again," she said, not sure of what she was trying to say. Words were flowing from her mouth unbidden, and she tried to catch them again, not wanting them to escape and make her look like a fool. But she already feared it was too late for that.

"Listen to yourself, Ukyo. You don't need me to be whole, you can move on. You're smart, talented, a great cook. And you're cute, too. I'm sure you'll find a great boyfriend, someday," he said. Then had the audacity to smile. It made her smile slightly too, mostly because he had called her cute again. A tear fell down her cheek, landing on her pants in a small, wet drop.

"Really?" she asked miserably.

"Really."

"What if I want you, though? What if I think I deserve you?"

"Then we have a problem. I'm not saying you don't deserve someone like me. You probably deserve someone better then me, even. Just ask Akane if you need a list of my bad points, I bet she has it written down somewhere," said Ranma, rolling his eyes.

"She probably has an even longer list of your good points...that girl is crazy for you," said Ukyo sadly. It hurt like a pin thrusting into her heart when she saw Ranma's face light up at the last part of her sentence. It was true too, she couldn't deny it; Ranma and Akane loved each other more then anything. How many times had they risked their lives for each other? Denying their feelings most of the time, to boot. Their love was so...raw. And real. Another tear fell down Ukyo's cheek, and Ranma's face darkened.

"This isn't about Akane. This is about you, and me. Can we still be friends? If I invite you to my wedding, will you come, and not cause mass destruction?" asked Ranma. Ukyo felt as though she would fall over, but maintained her straight posture.

"You brought it back to you and Akane at the end there, with the wedding part," she said flatly. The blossom of hope was gone now, completely. All that was in her was darkness, as she tried to push her more fragile emotions aside.

"Just answer the question. Please," he added the last word quickly when Ukyo's hand twitched towards the spatula. She didn't want to explode, and be weak here. But it was just so hard to contain. Shuddering, Ukyo nodded, trying to look at Ranma.

"Yes. I can...be at your wedding. And not cause mass destruction." When Ranma smiled, she felt another pin being thrust in her heart, but tried to ignore it. She could get used to it. She had to, for Ranma. If she truly loved him...she could be happy for him.

"And I know this goes without saying, but...you won't hold any of this against Akane, right?" he asked. _Ugh. Yes Ranma, everything can fit your perfect little world...he's right though. It's not like she even asked to be his fiancee...and to fall in love with him. Of all the luck!_

"I won't hold any of this against Akane."

"Great. Ucchan...I'm glad we had this talk. I knew I could count on you, I just...didn't wanna hurt you."

"I know. Umm, Ranma-honey?" she asked, watching him get up. She didn't want the next few words to come out of her mouth. She didn't want to have to say them, but she knew it was necessary. For her own sanity, at the very least.

Biting her lip, she watched as Ranma looked at her questioningly, waiting for her to speak. Slowly, she sorted the words in her mind, heard them taunting her already before they were even said.

"I'll need you to give me some space, now. I know I'll still see you in school, and that's fine. But...but I need some time to myself. To make sure I really AM whole without you, you know? So...don't come by here, until I let you know it's okay again," she asked, barely hearing her own voice say the words. They were out now, and she felt so empty without them. Her throat ached from the strain of saying them, and she felt her skin go cold.

"Ya sure?" asked Ranma. She fought the urge to leap forward and hug him with all her might.

"I'm sure. When you go downstairs...tell Konatsu to make sure he stays down there, to watch for customers. I think I'm going to sleep."

"Okay. And, Ucchan? Anytime you need to talk...you can visit. Or call me out even. I won't go to you before ya let me know you're ready though. I promise."

"I know," she replied, knowing in her heart that she really couldn't visit, or call him out. Not yet, not for a long, long time. With a small wave, he left the room, closing the door behind him. Another tear fell down her cheek, but it wasn't the storm she had expected. Instead, she felt completely empty inside. Like she had no more tears to cry, no more emotions to feel, no more thoughts to think. Curling her knees up to her chest, Ukyo listened bitterly as Ranma jogged down the stairs, then heard the front door downstairs close a minute later. When she didn't hear Konatsu come up afterwards, she let out a sigh, and shuddered.

An odd sound came from one side of the room, and she turned around, hand to one of her small spatulas as though expecting an attack. But then she recognized the sound; it was a high pitched squeal, like a pig, followed by the sound of tiny hooves. Seconds later, a pink and black nose poked it's way out from under the table, followed by a small black body. The pig wore Ryoga's yellow and black scarf.

"Heh. Ryoga. Figures you'd be here after all." P-chan tilted his head, his eyes large and sad. _He probably feels sorry for me...the poor thing...is this how he felt after, too?_ She watched him curiously, not annoyed at the invasion of her privacy. But that was because Ryoga was a pig right now. He wasn't human, and wasn't invading. Not really, anyway. Pigs didn't invade; animals in general didn't invade, they just were. As of yet, she hadn't been close enough to any of those with the Jusenkyo curse that turned them into animals to see it otherwise.

"Squeeeee?" The noise was quiet, and P-chan looked frustrated that his pig mouth couldn't say human words. Ukyo just shook her head and faced him, patting a spot on her lap.

"It's okay, c'mere." Appearing uncertain, P-chan walked tentatively closer, then jumped on her lap like a small, black kitten. Tentatively, she scratched him behind his ears, surprised that he didn't seem to mind.

_This isn't Ryoga...this is P-chan...he's a pig...it's different..._

She let the excuses go, flimsy as they were. P-chan didn't seem to mind her attention. Much, at least, and the emptiness had been starting to ache so much. She didn't want to be empty, not again. Not now, when she could at least just pretend. P-chan was very convenient, and, selfishly, she wasn't going to let him go just yet.

"We could each use a friend now, I think. Don't take this the wrong way though, okay? I'm not into pigs," Ukyo said, her voice still oddly low. P-chan squealed again, looking indignant, and shook his head. This made Ukyo almost smirk, but no amusement touched her eyes. Somber thoughts came back into her head, about Ranma, but they were duller now at least. The sharpest pain had already happened.

"Sorry, sorry. I was hoping you'd come back though, I have your stuff. You probably saw your pack in the corner right?" she asked, trying to focus on the pig's true identity now. P-chan shook his head in affirmation.

"Good. Your umbrella is in the kitchen. I didn't want to carry the thing all the way upstairs," she said, still scratching behind his ears as he curled up on her lap. _As much as he's unlike Ryoga...this is just like Ryoga. Just a big softie, under that tough exterior. Am I like that too? Just a softie?_

"You know...it didn't feel the way I thought it would. Oh, it hurt. Hurt like a katana through the stomach, but...I think I thought I would cry. Or that it'd feel different. But it doesn't, does it? It still feels like...like I have a chance. Even though hope is gone, and I feel so, so empty." She let out a low moan, and felt a sob fight to escape her careful composure.

"Ranma-honey and Akane...they need to have this wedding soon, and start wearing wedding rings and calling each other honey and dear, and looking more like a...like a couple..."

_Oh dammit, I'm losing it..._

Tears started to fall down her cheeks more quickly now, as P-chan looked up at her. Tears fell down his little pig face too, and she shook her head, as though trying to deny the tears. They felt good though, like a release. She laughed dryly, then sighed.

"It'll get easier. And Ranma's right. I'm talented, and smart, and cute, and one hell of a cook. I'll find someone else. Definitely find someone else. They'd just better take good care of each other, right Ryoga? We're giving them this chance. If they're ever bad to each other, or hurt each other...," she began, but didn't finish. The tears continued to flow, but slowed down after a while, leaving them to sit in silence. Before she knew it, P-chan had fallen asleep on her lap. Careful not to wake him, Ukyo scooted back far enough to have her back against the wall. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to fall asleep, which happened surprisingly fast given the circumstances. Or perhaps she was just anxious to get out of reality, again.


	7. Iron Chef

**Chapter 3: Iron Chef**

"Yeah, Konatsu, she just wants to sleep, don't bug her. Just keep an eye on the restaurant, maybe check on her later," said Ranma, as he and Akane stood in the doorway, ready to leave. Konatsu was such an easy-going person, lately. All Ranma had to do was give a command, and he did it without a second thought. His lack of arguments was so refreshing, Akane almost felt sorry for him. That, paired with the astronomically low salary she knew Ukyo was giving him, made her wonder how he even managed to exist with an ounce of self-respect. But that wasn't her business, and she and Ranma had to be off. She looked at her fiance, anxious to know what had been said up there, but held her tongue. For now.

"Don't worry about your boss, she'll be happiest if her restaurant is taken care of. Thank you for having us," Akane said sweetly.

"I understand. G-goodnight," said Konatsu. Then Ranma and Akane walked out the doorway, Ranma's hands shoved into his pockets, and Akane holding onto her bag with both hands.

_I couldn't hear anything from downstairs...whatever Ranma said, he was pretty quiet about it. It didn't take long, either,_ thought Akane, turning her head to look at Ranma. His face was fairly blank, and she wanted to hit him for it. She had been visibly devastated after telling Ryoga, and he didn't look upset after telling his childhood friend? She soon realized that she was being stupid, and again held her tongue. In reality, she was just concerned, and wanted Ranma to tell her how it had gone.

"It went just fine, if you're wonderin'," said Ranma, after a moment.

"Fine? That...that's good," said Akane, encouragingly.

"She said she'd come to our wedding, too. With good intentions, this time," he finished, a small smile on his face.

"That'll be a switch. See, I told you it'd be alright...maybe I shouldn't have pushed you so hard, though...," she began, feeling the guilt starting to build up. Really, she hadn't meant to be so persistent earlier. Something about Ranma, and his fool stubbornness, just brought it out in her.

Ranma shook his head, dispelling her guilt.

"Nah, it's okay. I hate to admit it, but you were right. This needed to be done, and it was done. Ucchan'll have a good cry about it, but she's accepted it. I hope," he said. _He hopes? Oh dear...what DID go on up there? I know it was just talking, but..._

"She doesn't really have a choice but to accept it. If you believe in her loyalty to you as a friend...then well, she isn't much of a friend if she leads you to believe one thing, then does another, right?"

"Yeah...right. So, we'll just see how it goes. For now...home is looking pretty good."

"Right. Home," she said, as they started off in that direction. Suddenly remembering a promise to Kasumi earlier, she felt her skin jump, and looked at her watch. Now was definitely not early anymore. She hoped Nabiki had made it home in time to help.

Ucchan's wasn't far from the Tendo household, and unlike earlier, this time the house was much more full. Akane's and Ranma's fathers were noisily playing Go on the porch, while Kasumi cleaned the kitchen, and Nabiki was watching television. She thought she had seen Happosai walking down the hallway with something on his back as they came in, but wasn't sure. _Probably was another panty raid._ Akane bristled at the thought.

"Oh! We were wondering about the both of you," said Kasumi as they walked into the main living room.

"And just where were you two lovebirds?" called Mr. Saotome from the porch. She noticed Ranma tense, and glare in his direction.

"We weren't doing nothing!" he replied loudly. Akane rolled her eyes, then faced Kasumi.

"We were visiting Ukyo, so we've already eaten. I'm so sorry we weren't home earlier, but something came up, and I...I just couldn't make it. Did Nabiki help?" she asked worriedly. Kasumi nodded, that oddly pleasant expression not leaving her face for a moment.

"If you say it couldn't be helped, then it couldn't be helped. Nabiki was home early, and so was Mrs. Saotome. She is such a sweet woman, she had finished her errands early, came here to visit, and offered to help," she said, making the weight of shirked responsibility leave Akane's shoulders easily. Without another word, Kasumi walked back to the kitchen, returning happily to her duties.

"Hey, what time is it anyway?" asked Ranma, walking into the kitchen to look at the clock. _Shoot, we completely lost track of time. Should we still bother to study tonight? But Auntie Saotome made us promise not to study..._ Earlier that morning, before school, she had told both of them (mostly Akane, really) that they needed to relax rather then study.

"Eight? It's barely even dark outside," he said, sounding disappointed that he had lost the whole day already. Grabbing a couple of glasses, Akane filled them with juice and started to head towards the stairs.

"Well, I'm going upstairs to finish homework. Umm, you can join me, if you want?" she asked, looking at Ranma over her shoulder warily. _Already I'm just assuming he'll say yes._ From the corner of her eye, she caught her father and Mr. Saotome grinning ridiculously at them. Quickly turning her head, she headed for the stairs without another word. _If he says yes, I want it to be out of THEIR earshot,_ she thought hotly, heading upstairs.

"Eh, sure. Hey, one of those is for me, right?" he asked, catching up with her. She handed him one of the glasses, and he took a long sip as he finished climbing the stairs behind her. They entered her room quickly, Ranma barely a step behind her, and took out their books. Ranma dragged the other chair over to her desk, then sat in it, twirling a pencil in his hand.

"Don't they ever stop?" asked Akane, irritably.

"Of course they don't. Come on, stop worrying about that. Who cares what they think, anyway?" he asked, shrugging. She did try to stop, but it was hard to just stop an emotion like that. Before she had been tempted to explain that to him, but it was pointless. He had to know that an emotion couldn't just be stopped, on command. Didn't he?

"True. It just...bothers me sometimes. But we have more important things to do."

"Right. Like finishing this homework, then do something else. Mom didn't want us to study, and I think you know how much I agree with her, for once," he said, abruptly ending the conversation.

True to his word, he did go through the homework, like a man possessed. He even managed to finish before her, which was a rarity. Normally he let the task drag on, his wandering eyes looking outside, or doodling, or on some occasions he'd just get up and start doing pushups and exercises right in her room.

Ignoring him, Akane poured over her own homework. She prided herself on the fact that she wasn't quite done yet, thinking that she was being more careful, and probably doing it better too. She looked over at Ranma from time to time, seeing him doodle on some papers idly, obviously waiting for her. Finally, when Akane was just at the last question, Ranma leaned back with a small groan, closing his eyes.

"Something wrong?" asked Akane, eyes still on her notes.

"I'm just worn out."

"Doesn't surprise me. We were doing a lot of running around, today," she said, not really paying attention to him still. _Just one more question to answer..._ Frowning, Akane finished it hurriedly then turned to look at him.

"There, I'm done." Immediately he opened his eyes and sat back up in his chair, no longer looking worn out at all. Akane wanted to giggle, but kept it in check.

"Great. I mean, I know I could just walk out any minute and not wait for you. But I..."

"You don't want to be alone on our free night, even though it's almost over?"

"I can be alone! It's just...not much fun, I guess," he answered, playing with his pigtail idly. Akane nodded, resting the pencil she had been holding on the desk. Today had seemed important to him, for some reason. She was just starting to realize that now. This morning his anticipation of having no responsibilities after classes had seemed childish, even for him. It hadn't occurred to her how stressed he was lately; he just didn't let it show.

"Soon we won't even have to be doing this, anyway. School's over in a matter of weeks," said Akane, leaning her elbow on her desk. It was a pretty big thing, too. School had been such a ruling force in her life for a long time; to be without it suddenly would be odd.

"Yeah. It'll be nice to not have to go anymore. Who knows, I might miss some parts of it, though."

"The parts that don't happen in the classroom?" asked Akane.

"More or less."

She allowed him an amused smile for that one, and felt herself relax again. She was starting to feel chatty now, with the day behind them and done with.

"What do you want to do when school's done?" she asked.

"Same thing as I've always done. Be a martial artist. It's my life, no reason for that to change now," he replied. Akane had expected something along those lines. Martial arts had been even more of a force for him then school; his life had been one long training session, thus far. He was born and raised to fight, and defend.

"What about you?" he asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Probably continue martial arts. But I'd like to get into other things, too. I was actually thinking about being a doctor," she confessed.

"A doctor? Following in Dr. Tofu's footsteps?" he teased. Akane threw an eraser at him, which he dodged.

"Not that kind of doctor, I don't think I could be a chiropractor. I would like to be a medical doctor though...I practically am here, taking care of _your_ wounds," she joked. He really didn't get hurt that much, but she was typically the one to bandage him up when he did. She could practically hear Nabiki, or her father, or Kasumi even, saying 'well, he's YOUR fiancé, Akane. Take care of him!' It had taken her a long time to get used to her role without pouting about it.

"I don't get hurt THAT badly. And you cause it half the time."

"Well this way I'd be able to hit you, then dress your wounds properly without sending you to a hospital," she countered. An awkward silence fell as she realized she had stepped into a slightly different territory. Affirmation that they would still be together, long after they finished school.

"You'll teach in the dojo, right? Not that I need your help, but...it's the Tendo dojo. There should be a Tendo there," he said, uncomfortably.

"There will be a Tendo there. Teaching," she replied, her voice quiet. It was a pleasant thought, but an odd one at the moment. Hadn't they been declaring their hatred for each other, a few months ago? Or had they really been declaring it? Reaching out, Akane grabbed for Ranma's hand, and was surprised when he let her hold it. Things were still going slowly, between them. Two long years of denial, and only now, acceptance of their fate. Silent acceptance, anyway. Slowly, she looked up at him, a passive look in her eyes. He looked back at her, his expression unreadable.

"Hey, don't look at me like that," Ranma said suddenly. Akane frowned, and tilted her head.

"Like what?"

"All passive, and girly. It doesn't suit you," he replied. She felt her battle aura flicker, but still wasn't sure if he had really meant for his words to come out like that.

"What are you trying to say?" she asked, hitting his forehead with another eraser before he could block. He twisted her arm in retaliation, turning the simple act of holding hands against her.

"Hey, no fair!" she said, grabbing for his shirt sleeve and trying to get him to a half standing position so she could flip him over. She managed to free her arm at least, after a minute, and slap him on the back of his head. Ranma responded by picking her up, much more swiftly then she remembered him being able to, and holding her under an arm, mussing up her hair.

"Arg, when I get out of this, you are in SO much trouble, Ranma!" she yelled, kicking. He never did hit her, though. She could slap, kick and punch all she wanted, and not once would Ranma intentionally hit her. Just find every possible other way to annoy her.

Finally, she squirmed out, punching his chest in the process. A swift kick to his shins had him to the floor in moments, but he got up quickly, shoving her back into her chair as he sat down. Akane shot him an annoyed look.

"See? That's more like you there, Akane," he said, clearly satisfied with himself. Akane sniffed, no longer feeling sentimental enough to be nice to him, let alone hold his hand. Of all the nerve!

"Oh, like you never get all mushy. I've seen the way you look at me sometimes, when you think I can't see you," she countered.

"No way, it's all you, tomboy," he said, receiving another punch to the shoulder.

"Tomboy, is it now? I'll show you–" Then something occurred to her. She stopped her sentence, and her anger stopped. She had just noticed something. Something she had never quite seen before. It was interesting, and surprising enough to calm her aura down to a light, blue hum.

"I get it now," she said mysteriously, her lips curling in a smile. Ranma looked frightened, and confused, which only amused her further.

"Get what?"

"Why you always do that. Find some way to touch me. Sure, you can use the excuse of saving me from falling, or protecting me, or even retaliating from an attack...but you never hit me. You just want to be close to me. That's it, isn't it?" she asked, her eyes sparkling. Ranma leaned back as far as he could in the chair, looking like he had been cornered. Again. Revenge was so, so sweet.

"Now, wait a minute here..."

"No, I'm right, aren't I?" she pressed.

"It's not always about–"

"So it's sometimes about it? Pervert," she accused.

"Pervert? You do the exact same thing!"

"I do not!"

"Do too!" he said, but Akane didn't reply. Another realization suddenly came to her, and this one wasn't quite as amusing as the first. Did she do it too? Was she just like him, so obvious? They stopped yelling, and instead stared at each other intently. _Oh god, is he saying that I always fight him just to get his attention? No, that can't be...no, no, no, he's a jerk, and an idiot, and..._

"You're looking at me like that again," he said.

"So are you," she replied. Akane noticed that he was now holding both of her hands between his, and that hers were shaking. But his hands were so warm, and strong...why was she shaking? She wanted to pull her hands away from his, to turn her head and deny her feelings, but it was so...comfortable. To just leave them there. Her hands wouldn't listen to her revolted mind, and her emotions were a jumble, madly off in all directions.

"Akane..."

"What?" she asked, gulping in a breath of air. He looked like he was about to say something, then looked over to Akane's door. Immediately, Akane tuned in to the subtle sounds of breathing that Ranma had obviously heard, and felt her emotions calm slightly.

_Someone's out there? Now? But who is it?_ She couldn't decide if she was overjoyed or deeply peeved.

Looking back to her quickly, Ranma put a finger to his lips as though to tell her to be silent. Shooting him a questioning look, she watched silently as he got up, and shuffled over towards the door. Putting his hand on the knob, he turned it slowly, quietly, then more quickly, pulling the door open in a flash. Akane stood up as the open doorway revealed her older sister, Nabiki, standing there with a cup in her hand.

"Nabiki!" she fumed, walking over to her sister. Ranma looked more amused then annoyed, but he certainly didn't block Akane's path. He wasn't stupid, after all, and he could plainly see Akane's expression change and darken.

"Are you two ever going to grow up?" asked Nabiki, shaking her head. Ranma looked from one sister to the other, seeming to weigh in his mind whether or not he should stick around.

"Uhh...I'm going to grab a snack," he said, before dashing out the door. Akane ignored him, her entire focus on Nabiki now. Angrily, she pulled her sister into the room, slamming the door behind them.

"What do you think you were doing? Spying on us!" demanded Akane, crossing her arms as she glared at Nabiki.

"Calm down, sis. I was just checking on progress," she said casually, leaning against Akane's desk.

"Progress? In what? We were doing our homework," said Akane, gesturing to the papers on her desk.

"And that involves name calling and roughhousing? Though anything involving you two seems to reduce itself to that, eventually. I just thought, maybe, it'd go a little...further," she said suggestively. Akane's face blushed, taking the hint.

"With that idiot? You've got to be joking!" she said.

"You mean the one you're marrying?" asked Nabiki. Caught off guard, Akane leaned back to rest her weight on her dresser. Her anger fizzled slowly, but some still remained.

"Yeah...that one." She didn't need Nabiki there to let her know just how messed up that was. She knew. Absolutely knew. But old habits were hard to kill. Ranma still was far from perfect, and so was she. Just because they were official didn't make their relationship automatically easy and smooth. Why did no one else understand that?

"That's what I thought. You two are just swimming in issues, has anyone ever told you that?" asked Nabiki. _So she's just going to insult me now? I should just kick her out. But then she'd probably find some way to get back at me._

"Despite what you're thinking, I'm actually here to help. Kasumi and I have been...talking. Before when Daddy and Mr. Saotome had just set you two up, it was acceptable for you and Ranma to hate each other. It's not like you were in love, right? Two innocent teenagers, thrust together by fate and circumstance."

"I seem to remember two meddling sisters volunteering me for the role," said Akane flatly. Nabiki coughed.

"Feh, well Kasumi couldn't go for him. Sixteen and nineteen? And you know how I feel about boys... he's your age Akane, and like it or not, he's your perfect match. Always has been." Akane found herself nodding at this, thinking back to that day. They were different people then, weren't they? In some ways, at least.

"Are you done yet, Nabiki?"

"Not quite. Question, first. Do you love Ranma?" Nabiki asked suddenly.

"I don't think that's any of your business." Of course she loved Ranma. Had Nabiki forgotten that? Was she blind? She had even been telling Akane how obvious it was that she loved him, long before the thought had occurred to her.

"Not even for your sister? I see," said Nabiki, walking right up to Akane and putting a hand on her shoulder. "But you do care about him?"

"...Yes," said Akane, after a pause. Pleased, Nabiki took her hand away.

"Look, I'm not trying to manipulate you here. I'm just tired of seeing you and Ranma go from pushing each other away, to pulling each other closer, to pushing, to pulling, endlessly. It's tiring, and not just for the both of you. It's tiring for everyone in this house who have been watching patiently for two years, waiting for you both to grow up."

"So we're too slow for you? Well I'm so sorry for the inconvenience."

"Slow isn't the word for it. Can you at least work on respecting each other, and not confusing everyone further by calling each other names? It's childish," said Nabiki.

"So if he's being a jerk, you want me to just passively accept it? That's hardly a way to run a relationship. Besides, he starts it usually," grumbled Akane. _And he does too..._

"Who do you think you are anyway, to be giving me relationship advice? You come in here, assuming everything, insulting my relationship and my maturity level. You think you know everything about us, but you don't," said Akane. Nabiki chuckled, then shook her head.

"You still don't get it. I'm here because, believe it or not, I care."

"You? You care? Oh, please, like I'd beleive that," said Akane, an eyebrow raised. This was new. Nabiki meddled, manipulated, snuck around, spied on her, but cared? Did she really, or was she trying to trick her?

"Of course I do, you're my little sister. I just want to start seeing some real progress. I worry about you. I don't want to see you mess up, and get hurt. Before you get mad at me again, just think about what I've said, okay? Goodnight." Without another word, Nabiki opened the door and waltzed out, leaving Akane staring at the door.

"Nabiki...," she said quietly, tightening a fist. She wasn't really sure if she was mad or not, but some of what Nabiki had said rang true. Her and Ranma did have a confusing relationship, and they did have issues._ But they're our issues, for us to solve. I don't need Nabiki butting in and telling me what to do._ Feeling warm from the conversation and being angry, Akane headed towards her window and pulled back the curtains. Her eyes went wide at what she saw there, and her scream was barely blocked by a pair of strong hands to her mouth.

* * *

><p>Ranma Saotome, hanging upside down outside his fiancee's window, held his hands tightly over her mouth as he waited for her to realize it was him and stop screaming.<p>

"Shh..." he said, giving her an annoyed look. Upside down, though, he wasn't sure if she could read it properly.

"Calm down, it's just me," he said. Finally getting the idea, Akane nodded, and her eyes stopped looking so wild. When Ranma released her, she slumped back down on her chair as Ranma scrambled to perch upright on the windowsill.

"Sorry. You try getting kidnaped as many times as I have; you learn to scream as soon and loudly as possible. What are you doing at my window, anyway?" asked Akane, looking tired. Ranma balanced himself calmly, looking at her and around the room. It was different, from the position he was in now. From outside looking in. It wasn't the first time he had found reason to spy on her, though. He had been protecting her again, as he had a few times before. After a fashion, at least.

"Doesn't look like anybody heard you," he replied. Akane nodded, but didn't invite him in. She looked tired and confused, which didn't surprise him much. He had been able to hear most of the conversation with Nabiki, and was about to run off when Akane had headed to the window.

"I thought you were getting a snack."

"I did. Then I thought I'd see what Nabiki wanted, since it seemed to be about me too. You don't mind, right?" he asked. Akane thought about it a moment, then shook her head.

"No, it's okay. Just don't make a habit of it, I can handle Nabiki myself."

"I know you can. But as I said, I had a feeling this wasn't just about you."

"It wasn't. How much did you hear, anyway?"

"I think I came in at the part where you were calling me an idiot," he said. _As always._ It didn't bother him like it used to, though. At least, it didn't bother him if she said it to his face. Saying it to someone else, when she thought he wasn't there, was different.

"I didn't really mean it, Nabiki just upset me."

"I know. Just...don't call me names when I'm not around, okay? It's...weird."

"Same for you."

He bounced a couple of times on the sill restlessly, thinking over the parts of the conversation that he had heard. Part of it had been too low to be audible, but most of it had been loud enough. When Akane said that they were their issues, for them to work out. When she said she cared about him. He was more annoyed at Nabiki then anything, for barging in on them like that. _I'm glad I've never had any siblings._

Akane stood up, leaning closer to him.

"Hey, isn't the window thing a little cliched? They do it a lot on tv, you know," she teased. Feeling more at ease, Ranma changed his position so he could rest his head in his hands.

"Do they? But hey, I bet not many of them can do it without a ladder. That takes real talent," he boasted.

"I could do it."

"But my room's on the first floor. There's no challenge there."

Akane made a disgusted face.

"I wouldn't want to peek into your room. Girls aren't perverted like that. Besides, your dad sleeps in there too," she said, sticking out her tongue.

"I bet you can't climb up here as fast as I can, though," he said. Akane looked out the window, appearing to consider this.

"Maybe. I haven't tried since I was a kid, to be honest," she said, looking tired again. Figuring she was still upset over the encounter with Nabiki, Ranma reached out to pick out a blossom from the cherry tree behind him. Passing it to her, he watched as her eyes lit up, and a slow smile appeared on her face.

"Thanks," she said.

"See? I can be nice," he said confidently, "I'm gonna go now, though, Mom saw me before I left and said she wanted to talk to me about somethin'. See ya in the morning."

"If I don't, I'll personally wake your lazy butt up. Goodnight," she replied.

_That's more like it. It doesn't suit Akane at all to be sulking._

"Goodnight," he echoed, before flipping over backwards, catching the tree on the way down. He heard Akane close the window, and watched her close the curtains when he hit the ground.

Running further up the house, Ranma found the right window and crawled back in to his room, closing it behind him silently. Jumping over his father, who was cleaning something on one side of the room, he quickly ran to the door leading to the hallway, then exited before his father could say a word.

* * *

><p>Ukyo was sitting in her room still, looking at the tray with the cup of cold tea beside her. There was also a bowl of cold rice on it, now sticky from sitting there all night. Konatsu, she had reasoned, had brought that up sometime in the night after she had fallen asleep. Instead of waking her up, he had just let her rest, leaving the food there in case she woke up in time to enjoy it.<p>

_That's not like him to waste food...well the tea would still be good, if I heat it up._ When she had woken up, P-chan had been gone, and she noticed that his pack had been ruffled through. After knocking on the door to the upstairs bathroom, she heard Ryoga's voice say that he wouldn't be much longer. Ukyo had wanted to die when she realized what it meant. _I slept with Ryoga on my lap, all night! He was P-chan...but still! What if Ranma finds out about this? What will he think?_

She had changed her clothes too, and tidied the room up. One good thing had come out of Ryoga staying all night, at least; she felt less hopeless today. Despite her telling Konatsu and Ranma to leave her alone, she didn't think she really wanted to be. For most of her life, Ukyo had been alone. Certainly, she was used to it, but that didn't mean she always had to be. Or that everyone had to listen to her, without arguing, when she said she wanted to be. Was subtlety lost on everyone, these days?

"I should tell him to meet me downstairs, it'd be awkward to talk to him as Ryoga, up here," she mumbled quietly, opening the door to leave the room. On the other side of it, though, stood a tall, dark-haired boy, wearing yellow and black clothing with a bandanna on his head. As the door opened, he took a step back, then bowed his head nervously.

"Ukyo. Umm...hi."

"Ryoga," was all she could say, as she barely remembered to close the door behind her. Her heart was beating faster, and she found herself suddenly nervous. What if he made fun of her for being such a wimp? What if he had lost whatever respect he had for her, at seeing her with her defenses down? She didn't need any more taunting, now. She was at her wit's end as it was.

"Well umm, hey. Sugar. Why don't we go downstairs? I'm starving," she offered, grinning like an idiot and trying her hardest to wipe it off her face.

"Sure. Sorry if I overstepped by staying here last night. I didn't even realize it was your restaurant when I came here, I just recognized the smell, and followed it," he confessed, as they made their way downstairs. She noticed the hallway was steamy, and smelled of soap from his long bath. _He must have had a weary time, these past few days. But he doesn't look quite so upset, now. Maybe he's feeling better._

"Don't worry about it. As I said last night, I was hoping you'd come back. Your entire life is in that pack, right?" she said, as they stepped on the main floor. She felt more self-confidence in the familiar, usually public area.

It was still quite early morning. No doubt Konatsu was already up, cleaning in the kitchen and preparing for Ukyo to open the restaurant in the next couple of hours. As they stepped around the bar to the kitchen, though, they didn't see him anywhere.

"Konatsu?" she asked quietly, not hearing Ryoga's reply behind her.

"Huh?" he asked. Ukyo turned around, leaning against the counter.

"Oh, nothing. Sorry, I didn't hear what you said."

"It was nothing."

"Okay. If you...want to wait out in the main room for a minute, I'm going to get the ingredients together, then make us some breakfast. Then we can talk," she said cheerfully, hearing Ryoga exit to the main room. Sighing, she gathered together a few bowls, mixing ingredients together in the kitchen.

_Talk about what, how much we both wish things were different? But I can't just throw him back out on the streets...he has nowhere to go. Oh, damn you, Ryoga, why did you have to choose _my_ restaurant to follow the scent of? _It was a good distraction, though, to have Ryoga there. He was in the same boat she was in, after all. So what if he was dumped by Akane? He was still young, and talented, and attractive. So what if his talent happened to be super strength and breaking boulders with a finger? He did have his good points. He could move on, just like her. If she really could move on, anyway.

She brought out the ingredients soon after, and heated up the grill for the breakfast.

"You don't mind omelettes for breakfast do you? It's what I normally have," she said, cracking some eggs on the grill. Ryoga was already sitting at the bar, at the same seat that Akane had been in last night. She wondered if he realized, though perhaps at the moment he didn't want to see Akane._Maybe that's why he didn't come downstairs, when Ranma and Akane showed up. Unless he just didn't hear them. Hmm._

"Anything you make sounds good, Ukyo. I'm not picky," he replied.

"Now that's what I like to hear," she replied casually, adding some slices of meat and chunks of vegetables to the egg on the grill. Already the air around them smelled wonderfully of food; her stomach gurgled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since mid-day yesterday.

"Hey, Ukyo?" he asked, leaning forward with his elbows on the table.

"Yeah?"

"Akane was here too last night, wasn't she? I think she and Ranma were looking for me yesterday."

"Oh? Well actually, she was here. They didn't stay long, just had some food, then Ranma wanted to talk," she said, feeling less cheerful now that Ranma had been brought up. "Why would the be looking for you?"

"They saw me yesterday, on the street. Akane called to...to P-chan. Ranma was right behind her. He couldn't touch me, with Akane there, but I didn't want to go to her. So I ran. It's not often that I run away from Akane, when I'm the pig. I...hurt her," he finished, as Ukyo scooped up the omelettes and divided them up between them.

"You might have. But isn't that part of the deal? Though I guess it'd be different if she knew P-chan's true identity," she said, eating her food slowly. Ryoga barely touched his for the moment, as he appeared to be lost in thought, thinking about Akane.

"She can never know," he said, his voice sounding like it was coming from the bottom of a well.

"Akari knows. She still likes you," Ukyo pointed out, using a chopstick to mark the point. Ryoga blushed, then started concentrating on his food.

"Akari's never had me sleep in her room, thinking I was just a pig," Ukyo's eyes widened as she raised her head to look at Ryoga. _What is Akane doing with a pig? But it can't be like...no, Akane's such a prude, it must be just like a pet. But that makes Ryoga a pervert...sort of._

"Get your mind out of the gutter. I spent the night in a room with you, and nothing happened, right?" he asked. Pushing down a fierce blush, Ukyo nervously dropped a chopstick, then bent down to pick it up. She was glad Ryoga didn't have to see her face right then. Why was he so casual about that? It had been far from casual. Or had it?

_Maybe he understood...because he was the pig...but still..._

"Feh. But I knew you were Ryoga." She was proud at how even her voice sounded as she sat up again, though didn't look in his eyes.

"Wouldn't that make it worse, if something had happened?" he questioned.

"Are you implying that I would have let something happen?" she yelled, much louder then she intended. She thought she heard a chair drop, from somewhere to their left, but ignored it. Ryoga flinched, shaking his head.

"Of course not...but I was just saying..." Seeing his nervous stutter, she calmed herself, forcing herself to answer.

"It may have made it worse. I don't know. But I bet Akari would let you sleep in her room, as a pig," she offered. Ryoga seemed to think about this, then shook his head.

"I'm getting sick of everyone talking about Akari the second I bring up Akane."

"Sorry, sorry. I'll try to take Akari out of my vocabulary," she said, picking up their now empty plates and walking over to the sink with them. When she came back, Ryoga was sitting with one leg perched on a nearby stool, examining the wood on the bar. It was rarely hard to tell how Ryoga felt; despite his strength, and his tough outer shell, he really wore his heart on his sleeve. He did seem upset now, of course, and nervous. About being around her, or just in general? He had never seemed nervous about her specifically; sometimes Ukyo had to wonder if he actually noticed she was female. Ryoga was the type to keep his distance from everyone, be they male or female, while at the same time desiring the affection and attention that could only come from being around others.

_So really, he's just like half the population of the world?_ Ukyo smiled bitterly, then sat back down. It wasn't like her to be bitter, but the taste was just in the air.

"What are you going to do now, then, Ryoga? You're welcome to stay here another day or two if you need it, but from what I've seen, you're not the type to stay in one spot long enough to cast a shadow," she joked, leaning on the bar and fixing her long hair into a ponytail.

"I hadn't thought of it, really. I've been just running, and running, and running, ever since that night. I think last night was only the third time I had really stopped for longer then an hour or two," he replied. Ukyo felt both impressed and sorry for him all in one. No wonder he had slept so soundly, and easily.

"Well, you have a house, don't you, sugar? You could go there for a while. Relax, see your family," she offered. Ryoga chuckled softly, and shook his head.

"My parents are just as bad as I am with directions. The chance of either of them being home while I am is one in a million," he said, not seeming very thrilled with the idea of going home.

"Is it as hard for you to get home as any other place?" asked Ukyo. _He should at least be able to find his own way home properly...he was able to get here, wasn't he? And I know he's been to the Tendos' several times._

"About the same, actually. Well, it's not so bad if I have my maps," he said, then sighed. "I...I just want to thank you again, Ukyo. You've been really nice."

"That's what friends are for, right?" she asked. Although Ryoga ducked his head, she saw his eyes widen when she said 'friends'.

A soft clang was heard from the room adjacent to the restaurant. Within seconds, Konatsu was at the doorway, peering in at both Ryoga and Ukyo. His eyes were tired, but seemed pleased to see Ukyo at the grill.

"Konatsu. Have you been in there all morning?" asked Ukyo. _And here I even made breakfast without him! Well, maybe he already ate,_ she thought, taking a step towards him.

"I was cleaning out the room. It's been needing it for a while, and I thought now would be the best time to do it. Un...unless you're planning on closing the shop?" he asked.

"I'm not going to close my shop. What gave you that idea?" Asked Ukyo, tilting her head.

"Well lately, you haven't cared so much about the lack of customers, and then I thought with your friend here...," said Konatsu, trailing off.

"No, no, of course I'm not closing my shop. I still need to make money, don't I? Okonomiyaki is my life," she said convincingly. To her relief, Konatsu's face brightened, and he drummed his fingers against the door frame lightly.

"I'll get back to work then," he said, turning around to go back into the room.

"Hey, you want some breakfast? I still have everything out," called Ukyo.

"No, thanks. I already ate," he said before disappearing from her sight.

"Huh. Silly Konatsu, jumping to conclusions like that," muttered Ukyo, turning back to Ryoga. He was still sitting in the same position, managing to look lost inside of the confines of her restaurant. Sitting back in her chair, Ukyo propped her elbows on the table and rested her face in her hands.

"What do you want to do then?" she asked. Ryoga stood up, stretched, then looked over towards the stairway.

"As much as I'd like to stay...I really should go. I don't think Konatsu really wants me here anyway," he said in a lower voice. Nothing could be heard from the other room for a moment, then the sound of someone sweeping again was clearly audible. Walking around the bar, Ukyo moved towards the stairway, pulling Ryoga's sleeve to get him to follow her up the stairs so she could question him.

"What makes you think that?" she asked. They stopped near the top of the stairway, out of earshot of her waiter.

"He doesn't talk directly to me, for one," he said, leaning against the rail, "Plus, three's a crowd."

"There's nothing going on between me and Konatsu," she replied quickly.

"Are you sure? With the way he looks at you, I think he wants otherwise," he said. It was darker up there, and smelled less of food, and more of soap, still. Pensively, Ukyo tapped her foot, and looked down the stairway in the general direction her waiter was in.

"To be honest...I have no clue what goes on in his head. At first...I thought he was like that because I was nice to him. You know, how he's so quick to obey, and happy to do anything. So selfless. No one had been nice to him in so long, and here I was giving him a job, food, pay, and a roof over his head. But..." When she trailed off, Ryoga's eyes widened, and he took a step towards her.

"But what? Did he do something?" he asked. Ukyo rolled her eyes.

"Don't jump to conclusions. He hasn't said, or done, anything ungentlemanly. But...I just don't know. I wouldn't say that he doesn't like you, though. Really, I'd be impressed if he _could_ show dislike for someone. It's just not in his character," she said, stepping away from the railing and going towards the room where Ryoga's pack was. He followed her, though still seemed to want to go down to the bottom floor and question Konatsu.

* * *

><p><em>I shouldn't worry, Ukyo's a strong girl. She doesn't need me worrying after her...but still...<em> Ryoga quickly stepped away from the stairway, not wanting to lose sight of Ukyo's back as she opened a door and entered one of the rooms upstairs. The room they walked in looked vaguely familiar, but was so much smaller then the last time he had been in it. In it was a small futon, rolled up on one side of the room, two small tables, a desk, and a wardrobe. In one corner his pack leaned against the wall, looking out of place. Ukyo stepped to one side and let him walk in, her arm pointing towards his pack.

"Well there you are. Are you sure you want to go though, Ryoga? You're welcome to stay here," she offered again.

"I'm not good at staying in places for very long," he replied truthfully. _I'm probably not worthy of having her cooking every day, either. She hasn't had any customers except Akane and Ranma since I got here last night...how much money can she be making?_ he thought, grabbing his pack and fastening it on his shoulders.

"I'll walk you home then, at least. I usually have my morning jog around this time. Is it far from here?" asked Ukyo. Sheepishly, Ryoga took off his pack again, then began looking for his address folder.

"I don't...think it is. Hold on," he said, looking for it. When he found it, and the correct sheet, he held the page up for Ukyo's scrutiny. It was a simple map, with a picture of his house and some other landmarks near it. The actual road name and number was written in the upper, right hand corner, as well as the city and country. When Ukyo saw it, she quirked an eyebrow, and gave him an odd look.

"This is your map?" she asked, incredulously, "No wonder you always get lost! That's it, I'm taking you home, Ryoga. I don't know how you even manage to get around in Nerima at all," she said, shaking her head. _What? My map isn't that bad..._ He pulled back the paper, looking at his map for a moment before putting it away. It may not have been as detailed as most maps, but it helped him find where he was going. Most of the time.

"I'm going to have to teach you how to make maps. Anyway, come on, we should get going. It'll take a little while to get there from here, and I'd like to be able to open before noon," she said, walking out the door again. Ryoga followed her passively, deciding that there was no point in trying to say no to her. Even he could admit now that he got lost often. If Ukyo wanted to take time out of her day to make sure he got home, that was her decision.

When they were downstairs again, Ukyo lead him to the kitchen, where Ryoga retrieved his umbrella from the floor. Fastening it in place on the top of his pack, he noticed the look of wonder on Ukyo's face at his ability to pick it up so effortlessly. She actually looked impressed. Unused to such attention, Ryoga smiled, scratching the back of his head, and then they headed for the door.

"Oh, wait here a minute, Ryoga, I'm going to tell Konatsu, okay? I'll be right back," she said, before dashing off to the side room.

"Sure," he replied, leaning against the door frame and looking around the restaurant again. It looked very clean now, most likely thanks to Konatsu. Looking at the grill, he noted that Konatsu had even cleaned it while they were upstairs; he had probably cleaned in the kitchen too. The seats were all empty, though; the restaurant was just lifeless._ It'll be better later on in the day,_ he thought, watching as Ukyo walked back up to him. Her expression had soured, and she looked annoyed with herself.

"Why didn't you tell me today was Friday, not Saturday?" she asked angrily, then proceeded to run upstairs. Confused, Ryoga followed to the staircase, watching her as she disappeared down the hall. A door was slid open, and he could hear the sounds of water rushing, then items being rustled around.

"Huh? What's so special about Friday?" he questioned, watching as she ran back towards the stairs, then past him into the lower bathroom. Not fifteen seconds later she emerged, changed into her school uniform, and ran past him back upstairs.

"I'm a student, ya know. I'm supposed to be in school in...twenty minutes! If I hurry, I can make it," she yelled back. Seconds later she ran down again, her hair in a bow and a small book bag on her back.

"Shoot, shoot, shoot, I need to make my lunch too," she said, running over to the kitchen. Ryoga quickly followed, watching her go through cupboards searching for different items.

"Geez, calm down, Ukyo. They aren't going to kill you for being five minutes late...are they?" asked Ryoga, uncertainly. It had been a long time since he had been in school himself, though he was still the same age as Ukyo. After he had left that last time to follow Ranma, he hadn't seen the point in going back. He had even tried for a week, but it hadn't worked out. School was just not important to him. It did seem to be quite important to Ukyo, as she scrambled about the kitchen.

"You don't know our principal," she said, shaking her head. In the process, she dropped a chopstick on the ground, and it rolled under the table.

"Let me get that for you," he said, bending down to pick it up. Letting him handle it, Ukyo opened the fridge. _Almost got it...just a little further._ It had rolled down to almost the other end of the table. Quickly crab-walking around the table to retreive it, he forgot how close the table was to the fridge, and his ankle collided with Ukyo's shoe, causing him to trip.

"Hey, watch out!" she cried, stumbling away from the fridge. Ryoga watched as though in slow motion as her arm caught on a jug of cold water, sending it flying. Springing to get out of the way, he was just seconds too late as ice cold water poured over his back and head. Shivering, he found himself flying into the air, leaving his clothing and pack behind on the floor. His body shrank, and a familiar feeling of morphing came over him. Still wet and shaking from the cold, Ryoga stood in the middle of the floor as P-chan, glaring at Ukyo and making pig noises. The latter put her hands on her hips, then laughed, obviously forgetting about school.

The sound of rushing footsteps could be heard, and soon Konatsu appeared in the doorway. He looked from Ukyo, to P-chan, and back to Ukyo, then seemed to notice Ryoga's clothing and pack on the floor. As well as the water, and plastic jug that was now on the ground.

"Bweeee!" said Ryoga, forgetting for a moment that trying to say anything would not be helpful. The two others towered over him now, and so he sat down on his rump quietly, waiting.

"What's going on in here? Are you okay?" asked Konatsu, walking up to Ukyo. He gave P-chan another curious glance, then picked up the fallen jug.

"I'm fine, we just had an accident. Ugh, I need to hurry! I can't believe I forgot it was Friday," she said, as Konatsu picked up Ryoga's wet clothing and placed it on his pack. In an effort to make sure they didn't forget he was there, Ryoga jumped up to his pack, then to the table, and sat down on a small dish towel. It would have been more helpful for drying off if he had hands, but it was still better then nothing. _I don't know what's worse, freezing cold water turning me into the pig, or boiling hot water turning me human again._ Unconciously making pig noises, he rubbed his little head against the towel.

"I'm sorry, Miss Ukyo!" said Konatsu, bowing and looking upset with himself, "But where did Ryoga go? And why is his stuff still here?" he asked, poking at the pack with his toe.

"That's a long story, Konatsu, and I don't even have time for a summary now. But umm...," Ukyo stopped for a moment, looking at P-chan. In response, Ryoga tilted his head, then grunted quietly. What was Ukyo going to tell him? She had to know he was sensitive about his changing, and that he liked to keep it a secret. But her eyes had a mischievous light to them...what was she going to say? He hoped she would opt to take him with her, so he could change back at her school, but he had a feeling it wouldn't be that easy.

"Isn't that Akane's pet pig? I saw him in your room last night, when I brought in your tea. Why didn't Akane take him back?" he asked. Ukyo finished putting together her lunch, then shoved it in her book bag.

"It is, and it isn't. His name is P-chan, okay? Take care of him for me. He can eat people food, so just give him something if he looks hungry. Oh, and don't let him leave the restaurant, he'll get lost and probably get hit by a car or something. Bye!" called Ukyo, running out of the kitchen.

"But..."

"Hey, if you want answers, leave P-chan in the bathroom with Ryoga's clothes for a few minutes. But only if you can't wait for me to get back!" yelled Ukyo.

Ryoga jumped over to the other side of the table, panic rising in his little body, but was quickly caught by Konatsu. By the bandana, to his humiliation. He kicked his feet uselessly as he heard Ukyo slam the restaurant door behind her.

Slowly, Konatsu pulled his arm closer, examining him. P-chan merely put his head down, still kicking.

"Squeee...," he said uselessly.

"P-chan, is it? Though she didn't say what happened to Ryoga. I don't suppose you know, do you?" he asked, squinting. Although P-chan nodded his head, Konatsu just put him back down on the table, still pinning him in place with a casualness that only a ninja could pull off.

"You seem like a smart pig. And Ukyo cares about you...funny, I didn't think she'd care about something that belongs to Akane. Well, I'd better take you with me to the other room, then. Ukyo wouldn't be too happy if I lost you," he said. With that, he picked up P-chan again, and carried him out of the kitchen. P-chan's kicks and noises were promptly ignored by the ninja-turned-waiter; he had a feeling they would be ignored for quite some time.


	8. Don't Cry Anymore

**Chapter 4: Don't Cry Anymore**

"Hurry up, Ranma, get up!" Akane yelled, towering over Ranma's still sleeping body. In her hands she held a bucket of cold water; she really didn't want to have to use it on him again, but he was starting to push his luck.

"Akane? Don't tell me he's still sleeping," said Mr. Saotome sleepily from a futon a few feet away from Ranma's.

"Sorry, Mr. Saotome. I didn't mean to wake you up with this," Akane apologized, putting down the bucket and instead poking Ranma's ribs with her toe. Genma waved her away, as though to say it didn't matter, then got up and left the room.

She had just gotten up about five minutes ago herself, and was still in her sleeping clothes; a pair of yellow, flannel pants and an old yellow t-shirt with frilly sleeves. Although she wanted to continue on with her morning routine, the fact that she hadn't heard Ranma made her wonder if he was even up yet. _Well, Ranma, looks like I have to make good on my promise._

On the fourth poke, the still sleeping Ranma turned around and grabbed Akane's leg. With a shriek, she fell over, knocking over the bucket of water. Soon both were quite damp, and Ranma woke up, female. Sputtering, Ranma let go of Akane, then sat up.

"Hey! What do ya think you're doing?" she asked in a whiny voice.

"I didn't want to use it, but you grabbed my leg. It wasn't my fault!" Akane defended. _So much for sparing him today,_ she thought, feeling her damp hair. They both stood up, squeezing the water out of their clothes.

"Now I need a shower. Hey, and so do you," said Ranma, kicking her blankets to one side and dodging around Akane.

"Oh, and I suppose you get one first?" called Akane, running after her for a few steps.

"I won't be long, go eat breakfast or somethin' while you're waiting. And save some for me too," said Ranma, running up the stairs. With a sigh, Akane followed her up, then went to her bedroom to change her wet shirt into another to wear while waiting for the shower. _At least he's up now,_ she thought wryly.

When she got back down to the dining room, Kasumi and her father were already sitting at the table, eating. From the kitchen she could hear the sounds of someone still cooking; no doubt Mrs. Saotome, who had near formed a partnership with Kasumi in cooking lately.

"You and Ranma are certainly energetic this morning," commented Kasumi, serving Akane some rice and eggs. Akane took the food thankfully, digging in.

"Energetic last night too, from what Nabiki said this morning before work," said Mr. Tendo, flipping through his paper. Akane nearly dropped her chopticks and stared at her father, swallowing her food before commenting.

"What did Nabiki say?" she asked, her voice a pitch higher then intended. Casually, her father peered over the newspaper at her.

"That you were working late, dear. Why do you always assume the worst of your sister? She only looks out for you," he said, going back to his paper. Sighing with relief, Akane resumed her breakfast, feeling her heart beat faster.

"We weren't working that late, we just did homework for a while. Don't go getting us in trouble by telling Auntie Saotome we were studying when we promised her we'd relax."

Her father merely grunted, and turned the page in his paper.

_Thanks for giving me a near heart attack before school, Nabiki,_ she thought, wondering if Nabiki had intended for her father to say something like that. Without further comment, she finished off her food, then took her dishes to the kitchen to be cleaned.

"Akane? I'm making lunch for you and Ranma today, don't forget it please!" called Mrs. Saotome as Akane passed by.

"I won't, Auntie Saotome!" replied Akane politely before heading off for the stairs.

Not looking up as she climbed, she was almost knocked over by a now male Ranma, dressed for school and running down the stairs at full speed. At the last minute, though, he scooped her up in his arms and flipped in the air, doing a twist so that he landed on the base of the stairway, facing it. Akane blinked, her mind barely registering how she had ended up in such a position. Quickly he set her back down on her feet, giving her an apologetic look.

"You saved some for me, right?" he asked. She thought his hands lingered longer then they needed to on her arms, but ignored it; they didn't have time for that this morning. Blinking again at his actions, followed by the unmatched comment, she fought for composure. As well as a snappy response. Those tended to come to her easily enough, especially when Ranma was concerned

"Of course I did, I'm not a pig like you," she replied, running up the stairs, then turning around after a few steps. "Oh, your mom made us boxed lunches today, don't forget them. I'll be down soon," she said. After seeing Ranma nod and dash off to the kitchen, Akane went to the bathroom for a quick shower.

The hot water felt so good running down her back, and she smiled, realizing she was content, despite the annoyances so far. It was a Friday, they had a whole weekend to look forward to - though part of it would have to be spent studying - and with the warm weather around, they could do more outside. Maybe even go to the beach, or at least a festival.

Forcing herself out of the shower, she dried off quickly, then ran off to her room in her bathrobe to change into her school clothes and fix her hair. That done, she stuffed her notes from her desk into her bookbag, as well as the parts Ranma had left behind last night, and dashed downstairs. Ranma was waiting by the door, finishing off a pork bun and holding two boxed lunches in his hand. He handed her one, which she quickly stuffed into her schoolbag.

"About time there, Akane. Ready?" he asked, opening the door.

"Hey, don't forget who made it possible for YOU to be on time," she countered, following him outside. She thought she heard her father make another comment to Kasumi about them as they left, but instead of stopping to check, she closed the door.

It was a bright day outside, with a few white clouds making a pattern against the light blue sky. The sun shining down warmed her exposed skin, and she stretched her arms as they walked, wishing it was Saturday so she could have a jog instead of going to school. As per usual, Ranma was walking along on top of the fence beside her, looking forward and swinging his bookbag. Akane chose to fasten hers to her back, to keep her arms free in case she needed them.

"I'm sorry about the water, by the way. I really didn't want to have to use it, but you can be really hard to wake up sometimes," she said, looking up at Ranma as she said it. In the past she was careful about her apologies, as Ranma had a habit of getting a big head over it, but she thought it was warranted this time.

"Well next time, just don't bring it at all," he said, jumping over a post in the fence to the next section, "Pop used to always be able to wake me up without water."

"Oh? And how did he manage that?" she asked.

"Dunno. Shaking, prodding, and then gettin' the hell out of the way, I guess," he said, shrugging. _That would be easier to do if you didn't move so much in your sleep._

"I won't bring in water next time, then. Unless you're really hard to wake up," she promised.

"Sounds good," he said, then crouched down on the railing. It was nearing the end, for at least a block or two, so he jumped down to keep pace beside her.

"Hey, what did my mom make for lunch? She said it was a surprise, and slapped my hand when I tried to peek," he asked after a moment. Akane chuckled at the image, then shook her head.

"I don't know, I didn't think to ask. Probably something good, though. She's even better at cooking then Kasumi is," she said.

"They're about equal," decided Ranma. Crossing the street, they got to a sidewalk that had a wall beside it, and Ranma jumped back up.

"Hey, Ranma?" asked Akane, watching him walk nimbly on the thin concrete.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we're childish? I mean...everyone makes fun of us. Like this morning," asked Akane.

"Feh, just ignore them. We're not childish. They just don't understand us," he said confidently. It served to lift Akane's apprehension, but not all of it. _Maybe I'm just paranoid._ As they continued on their way, Akane noticed more students from their school. Some of them waved to them, while others fell in step with Akane to chat before speeding up ahead of her.

But they didn't have to hurry anymore; judging from the familiar faces around them, and the school clock that was now barely in view, they were just on time. Ranma leapt over the sign on Dr. Tofu's gate, waving to a nearby classmate before landing back on the other side.

Suddenly, Akane heard a commotion from behind her and turned around, backing up to the wall. Ranma stopped too, and they both watched as other students got out of the way.

"Coming through!" called a familiar female voice. Akane raised her face to meet Ranma's, thinking he may be able to see who it was. His eyes widened, and he got up, jumping down beside Akane and grabbing her hand.

"It's Ucchan. I don't know why she's in such a hurry, but come on," he said, tugging her forward. She ran along with him easily, but looked back, not seeing her yet.

"I thought you talked to Ukyo?" asked Akane, assuming he was trying to avoid her usual over-affectionate attitude towards him. He did look very serious about getting to the school before his ex-fiancee did, though, and only sped up at her questioning.

"I made her a promise. C'mon, stop gawkin'."

They ran through the open gate of the school, Akane looking both ways expectantly for a certain returning senior wearing a blue gi. _He's always here, in the mornings. Always has been, always will be. If we can spot him quickly, we can still avoid Ukyo, and get into school on time._ Although she scanned the area, her ears picked him out before her eyes did.

"Ranma Saotome! Release Akane Tendo from your clutches this instant!" came a loud, male voice, somewhere from her left. Quick as lightning, Ranma turned towards it, checking on her from the corner of his eye.

"Ready, Akane?" he asked, crouching for the jump.

"Ready," she said, mimicking his position. Together they leapt into the air, each with one foot outstretched in a perfect kick. The person who had called to them, Kuno, was down before he could even inform Akane for the umpteenth time that she could date with him. After the kick, Ranma merely jumped to one side, then reached out to help Akane to her feet. Taking his hand, they began once again to run to the school, only fifteen seconds off schedule.

Already, it was looking like it might be a good day, after all.

* * *

><p><em>"Feeling jealous, me!<br>You, who I fell in love with, lied!  
>Before my hot feeling cools off,<br>on an okonomiyaki,  
>on an okonomiyaki, I wrote a love letter."<em> - "Love Letter Written on Okonomiyaki", Ranma 1/2

Ukyo stopped running, the carefree smile leaving her face as though it had never been there. Someone bumped into her after her abrupt stop, then recovered, barely making Ukyo budge. Her eyes were following them still, right up until they ran into the school. She had noticed the hands, still holding onto each other unnecessarily. It was no wonder her feet lacked motivation to move forward.

"They...they...they teamed together, and knocked him down without breaking stride! As though they read each others minds...," said Ukyo sadly, taking a step towards the still down Kuno. Even the footprints on his face seemed matching. That made her all the more upset, and she turned around, heading for a tree for solace.

"I'm an idiot...to think I could really come back here. The second I see them, I fall apart," she said, ignoring the looks she was getting from others around them. She had first spotted Ranma on the wall, walking along at his usual pace. Somehow the sun had been shining on his black hair in a way that had transfixed her; she had still tried to run forward, to overtake them. But then, he had turned around, and spotted her. Seconds after their eyes met, she had slowed, and then he had disappeared. When she had caught up again, working on trying to stay a few paces behind, him and Akane were charging towards Kuno.

Just seeing them do such a small thing together, like a real couple, was enough to tear her apart.

"I can't go in there today...I just...I can't," she said to herself as the warning bell sounded. The rest of the students around her scrambled in, most ignoring her in hopes that they could get in before being late. Ukyo watched them all drearily, half hoping Ranma would come back outside and coax her into joining them. _He probably doesn't even realize I'm still out here...Oh, Ranma._ She looked up to the windows of the building, trying to figure out if their homeroom faced the front or not. But it was too far up to see properly; from her viewpoint, they were only silhouettes.

Soon the late bell rang, but Ukyo just stood there, looking at the doors blankly. She couldn't have made herself go inside if she had to; it was finally hitting her. _Up until now...I must have been just in shock. Arg, couldn't I have stayed in shock just a bit longer? It was...so much easier that way._Trying to keep the tears from falling, Ukyo left the tree and ran back through the school gate. Running at top speed, she headed back the way she came from, to the restaurant. She just couldn't go to school today, not this Friday. On the way back, she didn't even notice that she no longer had to push people to get where she was going.


	9. School Blues

**Part 3: Insanity Squared**

**Chapter 1: School Blues**

Ranma quickly sat down in his assigned seat, one row over and a seat back from Akane. Luckily for them, their teacher, Ms. Urashima, hadn't even entered the classroom yet. _Maybe it's her turn to be late._ Wondered Ranma. It wasn't often that she was late, though, and there were still a few minutes before class started.

Leaning back, Ranma put up his feet then looked to the doorway of the room. Students were still trickling in, laughing and talking, picking their way around the room to their seats. But no Ukyo. He had been sure that while they were taking out Kuno she would have ample time to get into the school ahead of them. Looking to the side of the room, he noted her empty desk, and frowned. Ukyo was rarely late for class. She took it as seriously as Akane, lately.

"Here, Ranma," he heard Akane say, then turned to see her sitting at her desk, holding out papers and a textbook to him. Recognizing them as his, he grabbed them, putting them on his desk.

"Oh yeah, thanks," he said, then turned back to look for Ukyo. _It's her problem, I guess._ Shrugging, he turned around to see that Akane was still looking at him, a curious light in her eye.

"What's the shrug for?" she asked. Wordlessly, Ranma pointed to Ukyo's empty seat. Her eyes followed the hand, then a look of understanding came over her face.

"Odd. She should have been in here before us. Are you sure that was Ukyo you saw?" she asked. Ranma sighed, thinking back to he sighting. The look of surprise, happiness, then uncertainty and sadness at seeing him disappear was definitely that of Ukyo.

"I'm sure."

It made him feel like a big jerk, but there wasn't much he could do about it, except keep his promise. As much as possible, he was going to avoid her. Only in class was it not possible to be far. But even then, he could at least not look at her or talk to her. _If she's planning on being here to not talk to, anyway. So close to exams, too...and the end of the year._ Noticing that Akane was still watching him from her seat, he leaned back and looked up to the white-tiled ceiling. He heard her stand up, then the sound of her flat shoes walking the two paces to him.

"You said something outside, about a promise," she said, her voice searching for an answer. Lowering his head, he looked at Akane, and was struck by the sympathy on her face. Although she was often sympathetic to others, it didn't generally happen towards him when it involved another girl. Especially when the girl was either Ukyo, Kodachi, or Shampoo. Ranma shook his head and straightened, hoping to end the conversation fast.

"I did."

"What was it?"

"It's nothin', Akane," he said, waving her off. Narrowing her eyes, Akane crossed her arms, obviously not liking the answer.

"Still keeping things from me?" she asked, annoyed. Other students around them glanced over, but most looked away when they saw that it was one of their usual spats.

"What, you don't trust me?" he countered, putting his feet back on the ground and leaning in closer to her.

"That's not the point. You shouldn't...we shouldn't be keeping things from each other," she said softly, obviously not wanting the others around them to hear. Ranma shook his head slowly, keeping his voice low too. He didn't want to tell Akane about the promise. It was between him and Ukyo, there was no reason to involve Akane, especially after he had already said no. Why did she have to insist? Going back and telling her now would just make him look soft.

"Don't worry about it. You worry too much...besides, it's nothing to do with us. If you ever need to know, I'll tell you," he said, and was immediately struck by the hurt look that appeared on her face. Normally Akane would have hit him by now, or called him a jerk, or at least expressed her anger further then she already had. Was she restraining herself? _She probably still feels guilty, over last night..._

The look on her face was much worse then a punch, or a slap, or a kick could ever be, and was almost enough to make him reconsider. Whether or not it made him out to be a marshmallow. Anything to get that look off her face...

"Akane?" he tried, then heard the door to the classroom open further, then shut. Him and Akane both turned to see Ms. Urashima walk in, heading towards her desk.

"We'll talk about this later," said Akane, before turning and taking her seat. Sighing, Ranma leaned back again, looking out the window on the side of the room. It was starting to get cloudier outside now. _I hope it doesn't rain. That would be the last thing I'd need,_ he thought, looking back to the front as Ms. Urashima began roll call. Ukyo was still not there.

* * *

><p>He had watched her walk in, from his corner of the room. Watched her get up, and talk to that ignorant Ranma, who had the gall to say...whatever it was he had said to her that had upset her. Normally when they argued, it was loud enough for him to hear, but as their expressions became less carefree, their voices had lowered. She was sitting back now, her expression serious as class was starting.<p>

_Beautiful as ever. If only she'd talk to me._

While he stared at her, he felt another pair of eyes watching him. Not just watching, but burning into his skull. Turning his head slightly, he noticed the source of the feeling; Ranma Saotome. His fiery blue eyes spoke of great violence, should he not stop staring at his fiancee, and he cracked his knuckles to drive the point home. Nodding, he, Hikaru Gosunkugi, turned back around to look at their teacher. _At least she's cute too. But nowhere near Akane..._ He sighed, doodling idly in his notebook.

There was a plan, at least, that he hoped would get Akane talking to him. Perhaps more, if it worked. If he was lucky. He had heard a rumour that Akane and Ranma, in preparation for their real wedding, were making sure that all their suitors and fiancees gave up on trying to get them apart. In other words, telling anyone who had tried to break them up in the past to basically give up. The rumours also claimed that they were official, though it wasn't clear on when that had started. He had only heard about it yesterday.

_Feh, amateurs. Did they really think showing up at their wedding and trying to break them up was going to work?_ He scowled, looking at his notebook. _I wasn't even invited. Probably doesn't even know I exist,_ he thought miserably, opening his notebook to where he had tucked in the note destined for Ranma's eyes. He had wanted to send it to Akane, but he was far too shy to go up to her desk and give it to her. At least with Ranma, he just had to worry about the brute killing him before he could convince Ranma to read it.

_Well, here goes nothing._

Grabbing the note, he raised his hand, meeting the eye of the teacher. It took Ms. Urashima a moment to notice him, then he raised two fingers in the air in indication that he wanted a blue pass, to get to the bathroom. She nodded, pointing to a small pile of five that were still on her table. Holding the note low so that it could not be seen above the desks, Gosunkugi got up, making his way towards the door in such a way that he would get to pass Akane. But first, he needed to leave the note on Ranma's desk. Taking in a deep breath, he walked up to the desk of his rival, and put the note down on top of his textbook.

"What are you doing?" whispered Ranma, holding onto the back of Gosunkugi's shirt just tightly enough to keep him from moving easily. Gosunkugi felt his heart try to leap out through his chest. _Don't panic...he won't hurt you, not here...he won't hurt you. _His brain was not entirely good at convincing his body, and his hands began to quiver.

"A n-note. Just read it. It's to help. I swear," he replied nervously, trying to move forward again. With a low grunt, Ranma released him, then moved the note quickly underneath other papers. His heart beat fast, and he struggled to maintain his composure in the classroom. No one was looking at him, yet. Ms. Urashima was reading aloud from the text, most of her students listening or at least pretending to listen. As usual, no one paid attention to the awkward black-haired boy, who was trying to leave the room. Except for Ranma, and only because he had initiated that unpleasant instance of attention.

"Get outta my face," said Ranma in a stage whisper, as Gosunkugi went forward again. To his left, he could see Akane now; her back, her shoulders, her short, silken indigo hair. He sighed happily, but tried not to let it show on his face. His heart still beat fast, but for very different reasons. As he passed by her seat, she started to look towards him, then stopped herself, looking back up to the teacher.

_No, no look back at me again...please? _he pleaded mentally, letting himself pause in hopes of a reaction. As far as Akane seemed concerned, though, he didn't exist. Her wonderfully silver eyes continued to be aimed at their teacher, a bored, yet determined expression on her face. No room for a scrawny, nervous classmate whose name she probably didn't even know.

Disappointed, Gosunkugi continued forward, picking up a blue pass from the desk before heading out down the hall.

If Ranma read the note, he would be seeing them both on the roof at lunch time. He just hoped Ranma didn't decide to rip it up without reading on principle, first.

* * *

><p><em>What was that all about?<em> wondered Akane, keeping herself from looking back to check on her fiancé. She had heard the conversation between him and Gosunkugi, and saw the suspicious look on his face as he left the room. _Why would he talk to Ranma? Those two don't get along at all,_ she thought, no longer paying as much attention as she should be to the teacher.

She was still mad at Ranma. How could she not be? Here they were, trying to be a better couple, and trying to fulfill the wishes of their fathers (whose wishes they finally shared) and Ranma was keeping secrets from her. And being annoyingly obnoxious about it, to boot. So she was definitely mad at him, and most certainly didn't want to have anything to do with him at the moment. Even if he did have a secret that she was dying to know, about Ukyo. Plus there was that note, from Gosunkugi.

The first was more then a small irritation. On the one hand, he really did have every right to keep a promise made between friends away from her. If it had been anyone else...anyone male, like Ryoga...that would have been perfectly fine.

But this was no ordinary promise between friends.

It was between Ranma and Ukyo, and despite Ranma's confidence that Ukyo had given up, Akane highly doubted it was that easy. Rejecting Ryoga had been one thing; Ryoga had never actively pursued her. She had naively thought that having Ranma talk to Ukyo would work equally as well; they were good friends, and Ukyo seemed to respect his wants, whenever he was man enough to do more then stutter at her.

It was Ukyo's absence from school, even after Ranma seeing her in the vicinity, that troubled her. If Ukyo really was agreeing to be friends, and really was going to give up pursuing him like a woman possessed, why was she not in school? There was the possibility that the okonomiyaki chef was taking a break to lick her wounds, but things were never that easy. Not in Nerima, not for Akane Tendo.

The other thing that made her mind wander was the note. Now, here was something that Ranma was innocent in. Gosunkugi had given him the note, and said that he wanted to help. Help with what? She wondered. At times like this, she really hated her habit of being curious. But class was boring, and Ranma was her fiancé. What if there was trouble? Was Gosunkugi meaning to protect him from something that Ranma hadn't told her about?

_Don't jump to conclusions,_ she tried to tell herself. It was still an act of great determination to not aim her eyes at Ranma's desk, though. Even if she could manage to make herself glare at him, proving she was still mad.

Tapping the eraser end of her pencil against her cheek, she looked up at the clock, and groaned. Another thirty minutes still until they changed classes. There was a possibility that Ranma would hand over that note for her to look at without her having to ask, but there was also the possibility that he would 'punish' her for being nosy earlier, by not letting her see it for a while. He knew how curious she was, and how she always had to know everything.

The topic they were going over in class was boring, anyway; politics. Again. Politics really unmotivated her for some reason, but it'd be on the exams. She knew it would be. Sighing, she copied down some of what Ms. Urashima said, then doodled in the corner when she went off topic.

After a while, Ms. Urashima turned her back to the classroom to write on the chalkboard. Quickly, Akane turned around to look at Ranma. Surprisingly, he was copying notes down with a serious look on his face; there didn't appear to be any kind of note on his desk, but he was no doubt hiding it. When he still didn't look up at her after a few seconds, she turned around again, just in time to be writing notes diligently before Ms. Urashima finished on the chalkboard. Slowly, she made herself get back on topic, forcing thoughts of the note to the back of her head.

When the thirty minutes finally went by, she picked up her books and shoved them quickly in her bookbag. It was gym time now; her and Ranma had to walk to the next building with the other students, where the lockers were. Once she had her stuff ready, she looked over to Ranma's desk to see that he was gone.

"Huh?" she asked, then turned around.

"Lookin' for someone? C'mon, I have somethin' to show you," said a voice from the other side of her desk. Ranma. Giving him an annoyed look, she followed him out of the classroom, Ranma smiling as though he had just done something really clever. _Still mad...he's still hiding something from me...though if he shows me the note, maybe I could forgive him. A little._ She considered this, then forced her irritation to slide away. The smile on his face had also served to melt her, slightly; it managed to get through her defenses sometimes, and she was beginning to wonder if he knew that.

"You heard Gosunkugi give this to me, right?" asked Ranma, pulling out a note from his pants pocket. Akane snatched it out of his hand, opening it.

"I did," she said, scanning the words. Ranma walked quietly beside her, letting her read it all.

_A and R,_

_I've heard the rumours. I want to help. I have a way of getting rid of the others, meet me on the roof at lunch time._

_Gosunkugi_

"Not much of a note, is it?" said Akane, handing it back to him after she was done. Ranma quickly folded it again, tucking it into his pocket.

"It's probably some sorta trap. I don't like the way he says 'getting rid of', either. It doesn't sound right," he said, shaking his head. Heading downstairs, they followed the crowd of noisy, restless students down the hall. It was like a sea of students, changing classes.

"So you don't want to go?" she asked, looking up at him. Ukyo and the promise were now forgotten, since this new curiosity had unfolded further. The tone of the note certainly didn't sound friendly towards the others, which was most likely Tatewaki, Kodachi, and Shampoo. A crease of worry had appeared on Akane's brow, which wasn't quick to fade.

"Of course we're gonna, Akane. I wanna see what his lame idea of a plan is. And hey, if it turns out to be nothin'...it's a good excuse to, uhh," he began, then seemed to fumble his words.

"Turn him down? Well...yes, I suppose. I still don't think it's that necessary, though. And what do I say? It's not like he's even spoken to me more then three times. If that," she said, trying to remember the times. There was one time when he had been in league with Kuno over something, and had made a trap for Ranma. With cats. Ranma was deathly terrified of cats, no thanks to his father and his idiot training ideas. Another time was when he had those odd paper dolls that he kept sticking on people's backs.

"Lemme think about it during gym class. I always do my best thinkin' when I get to exercise. Also might be easier if we, uh...showed him, rather then told him." Akane widened her eyes, amazed that Ranma would say something like that with so many people around them.

"What are you implying?" she asked. Ranma shot her an odd look, then laughed.

"And you say _I'm_ a pervert. I didn't mean that, stupid," he said, as they stepped outside of the first building. Trying to cover up a sudden blush, Akane ducked her head.

"Oh. Well what did you mean then?"

"Dunno. I've seen him get all scowly and self-loathing when we're getting along. We'd only have to show 'im that you have no plans to go to him. But hey, I gotta run now. Meet me at the statue between the girls' and boys' locker rooms after class, okay?" he said, stopping for a moment to wait for her answer, his feet already wanting to be gone. Gym was, without a doubt, Ranma's favourite class. Aside from maybe lunch.

"Sure, I'll see you then," said Akane, heading off away from him. _Why did I immediately think he meant...arg, damn you, Ranma. I shouldn't hang around him so much, he's giving me a boy's mind._

The girls had a completely different building then the boys for changing, though both buildings were small, almost like shacks. When she walked in, with her bookbag slung over her shoulder, the conversation suddenly stopped. As she gazed around the room, the other girls looked back at her, their expressions looking from amused, to jealous, to unreadable.

"What? Did something happen?" she asked, heading towards her locker. Two of her friends, Megumi and Yuku, approached her as she set down her bag.

"Maybe you should tell us," said Yuku, sitting down on the bench. The two girls were changed already, but it looked like they had lagged behind to wait for Akane.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Akane, pulling out her gym shorts and t-shirt.

"Oh come on, Akane, it's not like we're little girls anymore. We're seniors. And it's so obvious, everyone's been noticing you and Ranma," said Megumi excitedly. _Noticing? Noticing what? We didn't do anything...did we? Maybe holding hands, but they've seen us do that before._ She tried to control the thoughts rushing through her mind, and concentrated on changing, then fixing her hair into a bandana. Her mind shot back to when she had been blushing, during her conversation with Ranma just now. But they couldn't be misinterpreting that, already. Had she blushed earlier at something he said? She tried to remember, but couldn't think of anything. It wasn't too often that Akane found reason to blush at school, or anywhere else for that matter.

"Noticing what? Sounds like everyone has too much time on their hands, if they're seeing things that aren't there," said Akane, starting out of the room. Clearly, they were blowing something out of proportion. If she just ignored it, they'd stop, and eventually start being their normal selves. She just had to ignore them. _It's not like anything has happened between me and Ranma, anyway,_ she realized, keeping her face firm.

"Way to go, Akane!" said a girl whose name she couldn't place, as Akane left the room with her two friends. She slapped Akane amicably on the shoulder, grinning before turning back to the locker.

"Huh?" said Akane, then shook her head, "I don't have time for this. Yuku, Megumi, what is going on?" asked Akane, pushing them out into the hall so she could get them alone. The two exchanged glances, then shook their heads.

"You really don't know? It's all over the school," said Yuku. Then Akane thought back to the note from Gosunkugi._ Rumours...he said he had heard rumours! What kind of rumours are going around? _She had been positive it just meant their other suitors. But what if there were more to the rumours then that? She fought to keep her face firm. Lies and half truths could be spread around a school faster then a January flu.

"What's all over the school?"

"Well...people are saying that...you and Ranma, are a real couple now," said Yuku, looking towards Megumi for reassurance.

"That's more or less it. When I heard it, I wasn't sure, but there's something about you and Ranma now. You seem...nicer to each other. More agreeable. If that's possible," said Megumi teasingly, laughing.

"Wait, is there more? Is that why you're so mad?" asked Yuku. Sighing with relief, Akane started walking again towards the exit, her friends walking beside her. She held a chuckle at herself in check. In all the craziness of the past few weeks, she had completely forgotten the obsession over half the school had of when Ranma and Akane would be official. They all knew the two were engaged, and hating it. They were also convinced that deep down, they really did love each other and were committed not just by a paternal oath. No doubt half the school was rejoicing, in a nosy, living out romances vicariously through others way. Somehow word must have gotten out; probably those who had been to the failed wedding. Although Nabiki had invited every looney in Tokyo, she had also managed to invite a few of their normal friends as well. Unfortunately, Yuku and Megumi hadn't been on the list. They hadn't brought it up at all, though, and so Akane didn't either.

"There's no more, but you know how rumours are. I thought maybe there were...misconceptions going around. What you said is true though. Ranma and I...we're a real couple, now. More or less," said Akane, a small smile on her face despite her feelings towards Ranma regarding Ukyo, earlier. Yuku's eyes looked starry, though Megumi's expression was more jealous then anything.

"How lucky can one girl be? Feh. Well at least that puts you officially off the market. Maybe more of the guys will pay attention to us now," said Megumi.

"Off the market? What are we, pigs?" asked Akane. Yuku laughed, while Megumi rolled her eyes.

"You know what I mean."

"Last I checked, I've been 'off the market' for two years. But you have a point, it's not like all of the guys took it seriously," said Akane, as they sprinted off to join the rest of their class. _Especially not Kuno. I was hoping I could get rid of him, but he just had to go and fail his final year._ She had a suspicion that he had done that on purpose; it was one of the few things she and Ranma agreed upon without question on either side. Kuno swore up and down that it was because of his meddling father, who happened to be the principal of the school. For all his anger towards Principal Kuno, though, Kuno certainly was reaping the benefits of being in the same school as her.

Today the girls were all playing baseball; Akane was chosen to be captain of one of the teams, and they were having a good game, though close. It was a nice day to be playing outside, enough breeze to keep them cool from the hot sun that was still poking through clouds. On the other side of the field, the boys were doing gymnastics. She could see Ranma, talking with some of his classmates while waiting in line for his turn on the uneven bars. Yuku and Megumi's words from earlier still rang in her ears, and she allowed him a small smile. Which he didn't see, of course. Not from that distance, and he wasn't even looking at her.

Further away was Gosunkugi, looking towards the girls' side. _What's that in his hands? It looks like a little black box..._

"Akane, heads up!" she heard a female voice yell. Obeying, she turned to see the ball coming towards her at first base. Sticking out her hand, she lunged forward, keeping her foot on the base. Akane caught the ball easily, then tagged the sullen girl who had just hit the ball.

She thought she saw a flash out of the corner of her eye, as the girl headed back to her team. When she looked back over to the boys, she couldn't see any sign of light, or Gosunkugi anymore. Shaking her head, she forced herself to forget about the box and get back into the game.

* * *

><p>As the lunch bell was ringing, Ranma was walking casually out of the boys' locker room, changed back into his earlier outfit. When he got to the statue, he saw that Akane was heading towards him as well. With a quick wave, he took a few strides over to her, and they both started walking towards the school.<p>

_She doesn't seem to be mad at me anymore. In fact...she hasn't mentioned the promise since the start of first class,_ he realized with smug satisfaction. Good old distractable Akane. He was lucky that Gosunkugi had given her something more interesting to harp about, or else he'd probably be dealing with a much more difficult girl, by now. He didn't like it when Akane was mad at him; it made his head swim with confusion, and usually lead to him saying stupid things. Very, very stupid things, as far as Akane was concerned. Things were much more pleasant when Akane was helping him, rather then sticking her nose up at him.

"Think of anything?" asked Akane, looking energized from gym.

"Not really. Nothin' solid, anyway. Let's just hear what the guy has to offer, then I'll letcha know," he replied, remembering his offhanded commitment to think of something. He hadn't really been sure what there was, when he said that. Vague notions of giving Akane a present, or offering to carry her books, or holding doors open for her had crossed his mind. Each one had seemed overdone, or superficial, and he had discarded them quickly as being no better then just flat out talking to the boy. One embarrassing solution had come to mind, thanks to Akane's accusation and blushing jump away from the subject. A demonstration of affection, like a hug, or a kiss. The thought alone had made him trip while on the uneven bars, which was enough to make him discard that idea and bury it.

He had tried to speak to Gosunkugi during gym as well, but the kid had disappeared halfway through. Suspecting that he was taking pictures of Akane again, he had searched the field, but didn't see him anywhere. Gosunkugi made him nervous, somehow; he didn't feel right beating on him, since he was really just a weakling and often a victim of real bullies himself. But at the same time, he just couldn't accept the way he stalked Akane. Even if she didn't even notice, it was wrong.

They made their way up to the roof, getting smirks and odd victory cheers from fellow seniors as they went. Trying to ignore it, they made an effort to keep at least a foot in between them until they got to the top. There, finally alone, they sat on a bench and dug into the lunches that his mom had made for them.

"Odd how quickly word gets around, here," said Akane casually, looking over the rail to the students on the front lawn of the school. "I was practically greeted by a cheering squad in gym class."

"Cheering squad? What for?" asked Ranma. He had heard a few rumours flying around about them, but nothing concrete. Or realistic. He had to give most of the guys in gym class a wake up call about what he had with Akane, and what was their business to know. Which was nothing, as far as he was concerned.

"They just know we're more...official. Nothing else," she said delicately. He noticed her body language change to a nervous posture, then quickly straighten herself out. So quickly he wasn't even sure he had seen it.

"Oh...well. That's okay. Right?" he asked, looking over at the rail now too. He finished his lunch, and got up to stand at it, his back to Akane.

"Doesn't bother me, if that's all it is," she replied, "I wonder where Gosunkugi is. It's been lunch time for long enough." Ranma noticed the quick change in subject, and accepted it. Despite their being official, there had not really been much talking between the two about what being official meant. So far, things had stayed the same, except for their one new mission. Assigned by Akane's father. Sure, they were less volatile to each other, and there had even been new things, such as apologies where before there wouldn't be, and more respect for each other. Apparently, though, neither was going to take any other steps, and neither had even tried to talk about it with the other. Ranma had just figured things between them would evolve on its own, or Akane would initiate. His hands went cold at the thought of initiating anything, and he wasn't even sure what, if anything, he wanted to initiate with his fiancee.

Noticing out of the corner of his eye that Akane was now giving him an odd look, Ranma forced tense muscles to relax, and took on a nonchalant expression. _Back to the subject...Gosunkugi... _His eyes moved from Akane's, scanning the ground below. A familiar feeling of distrust for the boy came back to him. He could feel his ki rippling in agreement, his battle aura going up unconsciously. Images of his classmate filled his mind. Gosunkugi, taking pictures of Akane unaware. Gosunkugi, thinking he could get away with staring at his fiancee during class. Gosunkugi, trying to get Ranma out of the picture with one lame trap after the other.

"He disappeared during gym class. Maybe getting some of those weird voodoo dolls, or some other trap," he began. Suddenly realizing that the traps could already be laid, he turned around, gesturing to the bench, "Hey, you shouldn't sit there. Come over here, there might be a trap," he said, suddenly worried. It was certainly not below Gosunkugi to set up a trap for them, though it would be aimed at Ranma, not Akane. He didn't want her to be hit by accident, though. _Unless he's trying to kidnap her...heh, like he could pull that off. Akane would beat him to a pulp before he got two feet._

"Oh please, that's a lame excuse to get me to stand next to you," she teased, putting her lunch box away and giving him a knowing look. She did get up anyway, and stood beside him. Tensing up again, Ranma tried to find a way to take it back, then forced himself to be calm. She was just teasing him. Reacting would prove her right. He wasn't trying to get her to stand next to him for any reason other then protection.

"I didn't mean it that way," he said, gripping the railing tighter to hide his embarrassment, "You just happen to be easier to protect when you're beside me." Forcing his hands to relax, Ranma balanced his weight on his toes, still looking at the view of the front of the school. They were fairly high up there; five floors to the school, plus they were on the raised part of the roof. From there they could easily see Dr. Tofu's, a park, and several small buildings and houses, as well as the shopping strip they frequented.

"It's a wonderful view," commented Akane, standing on a small bar below the railing so she could be taller, and see more. Her face was serene, with a pleasant smile that made her look cuter then usual. Ranma found himself looking more at her then the view, suddenly entranced by her peaceful nature. Slowly, he moved his hand from the rail and put it on top of hers, covering her small, cold hand as it gripped the rail. He didn't think she'd mind that; she didn't protest any time they had held hands before, though those times were few. And with the day so peaceful now...he wanted to show her that he was protecting her, and enjoy this rare moment when they were not fighting. Akane's expression didn't change, and he took that as a sign that it was okay; if it wasn't, she would have let him know in no uncertain terms. Casually, he looked back out towards the view, thoughts of Gosunkugi and the other fiancee's drifting away slowly.

Only to come back, when he heard the barely audible sound of footsteps behind him. Akane must have felt the change in his grip, because she looked up at him questioningly. Ranma spun around, releasing her hand, to see a short, skinny figure walking through the door that lead back to the school. The expression on his face, probably a result of seeing the two of them happily standing at the rail, was that of sadness and rejection. He continued to walk towards them, a small black bag in his hands, and Ranma forced a normal expression on his face. The peaceful moment was over; now was the time for business.

"We were just wonderin' about you," said Ranma, gesturing for him to sit down on the bench. He could hear Akane walk up beside him, though she didn't say anything yet. Looking nervous, Gosunkugi sat down, putting his bag beside him.

"H-hello, Akane," he said, smiling at her.

"Hello," she replied, sitting down beside him. She was careful to leave space between them, though; Ranma chose to stay standing, in between the two.

"So what's this plan you have? Something to do with that bag, right?" asked Ranma, snatching it away from Gosunkugi, much to his obvious annoyance.

"Ranma! Careful, you don't know what's in there," said Akane, though she didn't try to grab it back like he thought she would. "Besides, that's not yours. Don't be rude," she chastised. Gosunkugi made a grab for it, which Ranma dodged easily, then handed it back. He wasn't sure why he had grabbed the thing, anyway. Something about the way Gosunkugi had sat there, tense and stuttering, had unnerved him. But taking his bag had made Gosunkugi seem more normal, in his reaction. He sat more comfortably now, though glaring at Ranma.

"Do you want me to help you or not?" asked Gosunkugi, holding his bag possessively. _Ah, there's his backbone. Good._ Not wanting to show his odd pleasure at Gosunkugi being less weak, Ranma shrugged in answer to his question.

"Depends on your definition of help."

"If you would just listen...," said Gosunkugi, sounding exasperated.

"We're listening," said Akane. Gosunkugi's eyes lit up at the sound of her voice, directed at him.

"Well...I heard the rumours that you two are, umm, official now," he said, looking to both of them questioning. When Ranma and Akane nodded quickly, he looked down, and continued, "I also know that you have a few...obstacles, in the way. I know a way to get rid of those obstacles," said Gosunkugi, a hand wringing the handle of his bag restlessly.

"But why help us? What's in it for you?" asked Ranma. He knew that he was doing it to get into Akane's good graces; that was plainly obvious. But he wanted to see what his official excuse was. Or if he had the guts to say anything in front of Akane. The smaller boy rolled his large eyes up towards him, brushing a strand of black hair out of his face. The eye contact was unnerving, as Ranma saw completely how tired Gosunkugi looked. When he wasn't tense, or worried, his face just looked exhausted. Grey bags dragged underneath his eyes, and his skin was an unhealthy pasty white.

"I've had a...grudge against Kuno, for quite a long time now. Let's just say this would help to even the score. I'll throw in Ukyo, Kodachi, and anyone else you think is getting in your way; it doesn't take any longer, really, to curse more then one person."

"Curse?" gasped Akane, looking very unimpressed by Gosunkugi's plan so far.

"Whoa, hey, leave Ukyo out of this. We've already...just don't do anything to Ukyo. Or anyone else. Kuno and Kodachi are enough. Depending on what your plan is, anyway. What sorta curse is this? It doesn't happen to involve water, does it?" asked Ranma, his eyes reverting to the bag. It didn't sound as though there was anything in it containing water, especially not enough to curse a person Jusenkyo style, but he had to be sure. Putting one foot on the bench, between Gosunkugi and Akane, Ranma leaned in closer to look him in the eye. He wouldn't be stupid enough to carry around the items needed, would he? Gosunkugi had his lunch and other articles stolen often. Although Ranma would interfere and help him sometimes, just because he couldn't stand seeing idiots pick on the weak, he wasn't always around to stop it. The idea of some jerk getting a hold of Jusenkyo water unwittingly made his battle aura flicker bright purple.

"Well? We don't want them dead, or hurt, or changing into animals. Though that might be amusing, in Kuno's case...," said Ranma, not realizing what he had said before trailing off. _What am I thinking? It'd serve the bastard right, though...,_ he thought, noticing that Akane was glaring at him. Steel orbs wordlessly shouted that he was most certainly not to go there, and caused him to rethink his phrasing.

"No killing, no changing into animals, no sending them to hospitals. Got that?" said Ranma, turning back to Gosunkugi. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Akane relax.

"It's nothing like that! If you'd just let me talk...," said Gosunkugi. Backing up, Ranma look his foot off the bench, placing both feet firmly on the ground. Crossing his arms at his chest, he nodded, signaling for him to continue.

"I know of a curse that, once set, will cause a person's feelings to change and even reverse, towards another person. For example, if I set it on Kuno, aimed at you both. I can make it so that he's indifferent, even repulsed, so he doesn't want to even be in the same room with you. Otherwise it, uh, won't affect him, mentally or physically. If neither of you are in the area, he'd be completely, well, normal. Except instead of pining away for...for Akane, and the Pig-Tailed Girl, he'd probably find some other poor girl to chase after. Oh, and he'd most likely stop attacking you as a guy, Ranma, since he mostly does it now because of your...relationship with Akane. Umm, the curse uses a person's spirit, so it all happens subconsciously. Kuno will not just be brainwashed, he'll actually feel different about the both of you. It will feel...wrong, for him to be near, because of something his subconscious is telling him," finished Gosunkugi, taking a large breath and looking from one to the other expectantly. It sounded like it could have potential, but Ranma didn't like how vague and uncertain Gosunkugi had sounded when describing it. As though he had just read it over the weekend, and wanted them as guinea pigs.

"And what about me and Akane? Will it do anything to us?" asked Ranma, noticing a slight twitch in Gosunkugi's eye as he asked.

"No, no! Of course not. It's a one way curse. But I...I'll need your help to set it up. If Kuno and Kodachi somehow grow a brain and find out what I'm doing, they could wreck it before we get anywhere. Black magic is...very delicate, and some of the ingredients required are hard to find," he explained, his eyes moving from side to side nervously. Ranma was reminded of a small dog, looking uncertainly up at uninterested masters. Would they praise him for the idea? Or blow him off as usual?

"So...it'll only affect Kuno and Kodachi...make 'em not wanna be near us...but not affect them other then that, and not affect us in any way? It sounds like killing two birds with one stone," began Ranma, leaning in closer to Gosunkugi, blue eyes hard as sapphires, "It also sounds too good to be true."

"Are you sure it'll work?" asked Akane, getting Gosunkugi's attention easily.

"Absolutely! My spells never fail," he bragged, sitting up straighter._ Feh, I've seen 'em fail before. But if this works...I had no idea what to do about Kodachi, that girl is just insane. And Kuno's just as annoying._

"Okay. Well...if it does work, it could help. Maybe. Akane?" he asked, looking towards her. She nodded, though still appeared to be thinking. He had expected Akane to put up more of a fight; was she that confident about it? There was an uncertain light in her eye. Still hesitating, but not sure why, Ranma decided that they should go for it for now; they could always pull out before the curse, if things went sour.

"It's worth a shot. As long as you're sure that nothing will go wrong?" she asked him again. Gosunkugi nodded vehemently.

"All I need is about fifteen minutes to prepare, with the targets in the room, and I can do it. We'll need an isolated place, though. If someone else enters the field, it could...mess it up."

"How about the school gym, after hours? No one's here late, and I'm sure we could find a way to get the Kunos here," suggested Akane.

"That's the easy part. Send Kuno an invite to meet you, and Kodachi an invite to meet me, and prepare for a fight," said Ranma, a half cocked smile on his face. He could practically picture the two of them leaping with joy at the prospect of being invited to spend time with them.

"It's settled then. How's after school next Tuesday? That's my first free night," said Akane, looking at Ranma then Gosunkugi.

"Works for me," said Ranma.

"M-me too. Uhh...I'll be going now, then. We'll meet again Tuesday to go over the plan at lunch?"

"Fine," said Ranma, as the smaller boy got up from the bench, and started walking towards the door. He looked behind him a couple of times, as though afraid Ranma was going to follow him. Once gone, with the door closed firmly behind him, he heard Akane sigh.

"You don't have to bully him so much," she said, as Ranma sat down on the bench as well.

"He's annoying. I have to keep 'im in line, anyway. Didn't you see how giddy he got each time you said somethin' to him?"

"Oh Ranma, don't be so jealous."

"I'm not jealous!" he retorted. _Akane's got better taste then that, anyway, even if I wasn't involved._ "This is no time to fight, anyway. Who knows, this may even work. You didn't have any idea of what to do about Kuno, didja?"

"Well, no. And you, for Kodachi?"

"Nada. We'll just have to play this out, see how it goes. I still don't know if we can trust him, though," finished Ranma. Akane nodded, her brow creased in worry.

"I just wish it wasn't all so...vague. A curse that reverses their feelings for us? What if it makes them want to kill us?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"Hey, that's what the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts specializes in. Makin' adjustments on the way," he said. He just wished his ki would quit telling him otherwise.

* * *

><p>The stairs were darkened and quiet as he went back down to the main building. Ranma and Akane hadn't followed him; they probably wanted to spend the rest of the lunch hour on the roof, enjoying the fresh air. Realizing he didn't have much time left before class, Gosunkugi sat down in a corner, and fished around in his schoolbag for the curry bread that he had saved.<p>

_Good, he didn't squish it,_ thought Gosunkugi, inspecting the bread before eating it. He ate quickly, if not greedily. Breakfast had been so long ago, and he had been too nervous before meeting them to eat.

_They trusted me. They went for it completely. I'm just glad neither of them is anymore suspicious then they already are...especially Ranma. He knows how I feel about Akane. _He frowned, looking up the dark stairway towards the door. They had looked awfully friendly, when he had first walked up to them. So happy...Ranma with his hand on Akane's, looking out over the railing, with the breeze rustling Akane's skirt.

_Damn you, Saotome! Why do you get all the luck..._, he thought bitterly, shaking his head. _Well enjoy it while it lasts, idiot. Soon you won't be so happy to see Akane...and she'll hate you, for real, like you deserve._


	10. By the Beat of my Heart

**Chapter 2: By the Beat of my Heart**

_"Gonna kiss you now, hold you now, this is love we've found  
>Even if it's just in my dreams<br>Come on hold me now, real tight now, let me show you how  
>Fine I say, have your way, I love you."<br>- "Love Panic", Ranma 1/2_

_Outside Tendo Dojo, Monday evening..._

Akane had written out her invitation to Tatewaki, and had seen Ranma's invitation to Kodachi. Both had them meeting at the Furinkan High School gym, at seven PM sharp, at different entrances. Akane had made hers short and simple, barely implying that it might be a date. Even that had been enough to disgust her; just the thought of Kuno's reaction sent shivers down her spine. She didn't even have to imply with Kuno; all he needed was her name, a time, and a location, and he'd be there. With bells on, and no doubt flowers and many the lecherous thought.

Ranma had less trouble writing the invitation to Kodachi, though. He had doodled on the invitation, more then hinted that it was a date, and added that she should leave her weapons at home. He doubted she'd actually listen, but it had been worth a shot.

Now, as the heat of the day was lowering towards the coolness of evening, Akane wailed on a small dummy made of wood and straw, preparing for the fight tomorrow. It would be easier if they could just get Kuno and Kodachi to sit still during the spell, but both were so stubborn that they didn't want to take chances. The plan was to basically have Ranma subdue Kuno, while Akane fought Kodachi. Once knocked out, they could tie them down, which hopefully would keep them in place long enough for Gosunkugi to perform his spell. The plan was basic, and easy to do, but something about it had made a small knot of guilt form in Akane's stomach. It didn't matter that she hated the two with all her being; there was just something wrong about sneak attacking people, then putting a spell on them. It wasn't right. But it had to be done, and even Ranma had looked willing to go along with it, despite being suspicious. He had also had a good point; neither knew what else to do with the Kunos. So Akane took out her frustrations on the dummy, punching it with all her might, and ignoring the small scrapes and cuts that it was giving her callused knuckles.

_Fifteen minutes, he needs. I'll knock that Kodachi out for fifteen hours, if I have to,_ thought Akane, landing a rather brutal kick. But she would need more then just physical strength with her. Kodachi was a dirty fighter, using poison often, like a coward. Akane wasn't fond of cowards. Both her and Ranma would be carrying antidotes to the most common poisons she used, but there was a chance she'd use a new type. She was extremely dangerous, and Akane would have to be fully prepared to deal with a complete looney.

Not far behind her, she could hear Ranma still sparring with his dad. They didn't maintain their position like she did; instead they fought all over the Tendo yard, unable to contain their fighting spirit to one place. She didn't even know why he was training so hard; Kuno would be easy.

_Something about this whole thing still seems far too easy...,_ she thought, punching the dummy, then picking it up for a throw. Though the post was firmly in the ground, it was easy for her to pick up; with a small cry, she spun, and hurled it as hard as she could.

*SPLASH!*

"Akane! Whadja do that for?" wailed a suddenly female Ranma. She didn't have to look at the koi pond to know that Ranma was probably standing in it now, glaring at her, while Mr. Saotome laughed a short distance away.

"Well you should pay more attention! I just got too into it," apologized Akane, walking up to the pond. _You mean you got distracted. Idiot._ Akane struggled to contain her brief fit of temper at the upcoming situation. She hadn't meant to hit Ranma, even if no real harm had come from it. Still, there could be a situation where she lost control of her anger, and something bad did come of it. Guiltily, Akane shot Ranma an apologetic look, which was mostly ignored. It certainly wasn't the first time Ranma's curse was activated at the hands of Akane; she was able to squish away most of the guilt, reminding herself that Ranma should be used to it by now.

Mr. Saotome sat on the porch now, resting. She could feel his eyes on them, but didn't pay him any mind.

"Ya seem ready for Kodachi, anyway," commented Ranma, jumping out of the pool and sitting down on one of the large rocks that surrounded it. Taking a seat beside her, Akane dipped her bare feet into the pond, feeling the heat and blisters slowly melt away.

"I'm more then ready. I'm still worried though, Ranma," she said, moving her feet back and forth slowly in the cool water. It felt so good on her tired feet; she hadn't realized how hard she had been working. A quick look over at Ranma showed that she had been working hard, too. New cuts graced her hands and one half bare shoulder, and there was a rip in her shirt. Akane fought the urge to fuss over the wounds; they were small, and there was no blood. It was all superficial.

"You got nothin' to be worried about. I'll be there, remember?"

"I know, but..."

"No buts, 'kane. You trust me, right?" asked Ranma, leaning over to meet Akane's eyes. Her face was so determined, so sure of itself. Akane found herself having a hard time going against such determination

"Well...yes," she replied, in a voice too low for Mr. Saotome to hear. Ranma's eyes were so full of spirit. Akane thought of telling her about the ball of guilt that was residing in her stomach, but found she just couldn't.

"Good. And now I need some hot water, no thanks to you," said Ranma, getting up.

"Hey, umm...we still need to study tonight, don't forget," called Akane. Ranma jumped up on the porch, then turned around to look back at her, her red hair and clothing dripping.

"I won't. I'll be up to your room soon, 'kay? I just need to change."

"Okay," agreed Akane, looking back to the koi pond. She still had her feet in it, and lifted one up, splashing it back down into the water. _I hope he's right about all this._

Getting up, she grabbed the dummy that had fallen to one side of the pond and put it back in its rightful place in the ground. When she walked over to the porch, she saw that her own father had joined Mr. Saotome, and that they had started playing a game of Go.

"Saotome tells me you both have a fight tomorrow, Akane," said her father casually as Akane grabbed a towel and wiped her feet dry. Her father had been a lot more pleasant as of late, she noted. Still obsessively asking about her and Ranma, but more pleasant.

"It's nothing big, Dad. We're more then a match for them," she boasted, automatically getting into a fighting stance to show off. At the word we, her father's face lit up like a Christmas tree, and he turned to his old friend.

"We! You hear that, Saotome? My little girl said we! Ahh, it's so good to hear my daughter and your son joining forces."

"I'll second that, Tendo!"

"Oh please, Dad, it's not like it's a date or anything. We're just going for a fight," said Akane, walking towards the stairway. Why did he always have to twist everything? Her father did have more of a right to be happy, but the old reactions still came; plus it was annoying, having her father be emotional over her and Ranma. They were barely emotional over each other most of the day. If they could contain themselves, their fathers could.

"Not a date? Then what are these invitations?" asked Nabiki, walking into the room with the invites between two fingers. Akane snatched them up, checking them over to make sure they hadn't been altered.

"Don't go in my room when I'm not there!" said Akane, as Nabiki ducked around, letting her to go upstairs, "And it's not a date! Just part of the plan," she called, not waiting for a comment from any of the three.

Once she was out of sight, Akane leaned against the wall, and exhaled. Another fit. That made two within what, ten minutes? _This guilt must really be getting to me...I shouldn't have snapped at them like that,_ she thought. But they had been asking for it. A fight was a fight; she was not a little girl, she certainly could go to a fight without girlish thoughts entering her head. She was a martial artist. It annoyed her that the fact was overlooked. Yet, it still didn't warrant a temper tantrum, she had to admit. It was something she needed to work on.

As she walked past the bathroom she heard the water running in the shower. Assuming it was Ranma, she walked into her room, putting the invitations back in place on her desk before changing out of her gi.

"It's not a date," she told her mirror, checking her reflection. She wasn't wearing anything special, but found herself scrutinizing her appearance anyway.

_And I need to stop doing that! It's just Ranma. He liked me well enough when I didn't make sure every hair was in place before he came into my room. I don't need to fuss over myself for his sake._ For good measure, she misplaced a few hairs, then nodded to herself before sitting at her desk.

"A real date would hopefully not involve us beating up Kuno and his sister. In fact, I'm pretty sure a real date only involves two people," she said sarcastically, pulling out her notebooks and a pencil and putting them on her desk. She saw that Ranma had dropped his bookbag on his usual chair._Maybe he stopped by here before heading for the shower. Save himself a trip downstairs_, she thought, looking at it. The bag was like hers, except that hers had a few tear marks in different places. They were both school issue, but Akane had hers a few years longer then Ranma had. She found herself tracing the seam of it with her index finger. It was soft and worn, like good leather. She stopped when she heard a knocking at the door, followed by the knob slowly turning.

"Ranma? Is that you?" she called over her shoulder, picking up her pencil.

"Yeah. It's okay to come in, right?" he asked, with the door already partially open and his head sticking through.

* * *

><p>"It's fine," said Akane, waving him in. Ranma closed the door behind him, then picked up his schoolbag, holding it on his lap before he sat down. Opening it, he grabbed a pile of notes and books, setting them on the desk and eyeing them distastefully. <em>Yuck, it's History night, ain't it. And Physics.<em> He felt Akane still looking at him, and looked over at her from the corner of his eye.

_At least there's one good thing about being here._

He liked how Akane looked, after she had been fighting. Alive, and healthy, so full of spirit and power. Even now, her cheeks were still pink, and she had a spirited glow about her. When he first met Akane, he had been unsure about whether he could like such a macho girl. She broke bricks with her fists, yelled, fought, and was overall only identifiable as a girl by her looks. But he had come to realize that he didn't really like it when a girl was too girly, either. Akane was a nice balance. Most of the time, anyway.

They went through the usual steps of studying; picking a class, reading over the notes, making sure to do the questions that had been given in class. There were always questions. For the most part, Ranma wasn't even sure they helped. But questions they answered, and notes they studied, while more and more his mind drifted back to fighting, and Kuno, and finally ridding himself of an annoying pest after over two years of...

"Ranma? Are you daydreaming?" asked Akane. Ranma noticed that he was twirling his pencil in his right hand. Putting it down, he gave Akane an innocent look. It wouldn't be the first time she caught him daydreaming rather then studying.

"Me? Never," he said. Not convincingly enough, but after quirking an eyebrow, she didn't continue on with any sort of lecture. Instead, she put down her notes, then turned around to face him.

"You're not...worried, are you? Because if you're worried..."

"Worried? Course not. Uhh...are we talking about school, or the Kunos here?" This time he was sure he saw Akane smile before rolling her eyes.

"I meant the Kunos. Anyone who gets bored enough to twirl his pencil while studying isn't worried about school. Unless you've given up on school and just don't care anymore," she said, sitting up straighter as though that thought had just occurred to her.

"I'm doing fine, Akane. You've been saying so yourself. And I wasn't worryin' about the Kunos...just thinkin'. It'll be nice, to finally not have them following us around. And you only have to worry about one side of each of them. I've got Kodachi trying to seduce me as a boy, and kill me as a girl because she thinks the girl is keeping her from the boy. And Kuno...ugh," he said, sticking out his tongue and making a face as though he were going to be sick. He was rewarded with a giggle from Akane.

"Oh, but I've been dealing with Kuno for much longer then you have. He and Nabiki have been in the same class since I was nine or ten. In fact, there was only a year when we were in different schools, when he went on to be a freshman in high school and I was a senior in junior high. He still came by personally at lunch times to humiliate me, though," said Akane, looking at the ceiling as though she were viewing old memories. Ranma leaned his elbow on the desk, his face in his hand, watching her as she talked about it. He could just see it in his mind, too. A mini Akane, still the same tomboy as ever, running from a mini Kuno with a toy sword and a rose for his 'love'. He found himself chuckling at the thought, then Akane's face reddened.

"Well if you're just going to laugh at me..."

"I wasn't laughing at ya. Just the image...Kuno, mostly. So he's always been a loverboy?" he asked. Akane nodded more solemnly this time, crossing her arms.

"He started liking girls before the girls even started liking boys. I think there was a whole two years before the other boys realized why he was going after girls with cooties."

Ranma tried to think back to his times at school. There weren't very many memories, at least not the sort Akane was talking about. So many different places, and no time to get used to one. He had never thought of it as a bad thing, though. He wasn't sure what it was. It was just how he had grown up; on the road, training with his Pop.

"I've only been to all boys schools, before Furinkan. That is, when I went to schools. Pop homeschooled me for a few years...as well as he could, anyway. I was in a lotta different schools, when we got the chance," he said, trying to remember how many different schools he had been to. Most people, who had attended the normal amount of time, seemed to have two or three different ones. Ranma, however, couldn't even remember the names of all them.

"Oh? But I thought you and Ryoga had been in one for a while at the same time."

"That was later on. When I was a kid, we were back and forth between Japan and China. I lived in the same town as Ukyo, in Japan, for a little while. But I don't think it lasted more then three years. I think I was...ten, when we moved on. Pop homeschooled me for a few years, then when I was...fourteen? Around there anyway. We lived near Ryoga, he was practically my neighbour. I didn't actually get to know the guy until the last month of school there...then when I was 15, we were off to China again. Jusenkyo happened when I was 16...and you know the rest," he said, seeing that Akane was attentive throughout. The conversation felt different to him. They didn't talk about their childhoods often; just vague descriptions, or small detailed events taken out of context if there was a need for it, then nothing more. In fact, only Ukyo and Ryoga knew anything about his childhood in any sort of detail, and that was just the parts that involved them.

"That's only three schools though, Ranma," she said, and he noticed that she had been counting on her fingers. Ranma grinned, shaking his head.

"No, that's three districts. You probably won't find this too hard to believe, but...I got in fights a lot. Not starting them, just finishing them. Too well. I got moved around a bit. S'why Pop gave up on public schools for me for a long while. He always said that a true martial artist can't learn well strapped to a chair in a building," said Ranma, leaning back in his chair. It always made him restless, being inside. Having to sit down, and behave, and raise his hand when he wanted something. It was so much easier to run around outside, or maybe he was just too used to it, now.

When he looked back at Akane, she was smiling at him with a look of envy on her face.

"It must have been nice. No siblings to worry about, no dojo to uphold the honour of, no legions of boys - or girls, in your case, pre-curse - to fight off. Though it does explain how you turned out; brash, and uncontrollable. Like a...like a hurricane almost," she said. Ranma was unsure if that worked out to a compliment or an insult, and decided to take it as something in between.

"I dunno if it was nice...I guess I just never thought of it. It was life. Like how I never thought about Mom, until I realized I had one. I knew other people had mothers, and that I probably should, but Pop never mentioned her. So, I didn't ask," he said. Akane's eyes saddened slightly.

"I can't imagine that. My mother was so important to me...then when she died, I...well, all of us, really...adopted Kasumi as a mom. I've always had a mother figure. But you...you just had your father," said Akane. Seeing a bad mood coming on, Ranma straightened, and tried to put a confident look on his face.

"But I still turned out okay, didn't I? Maybe brash and uncontrollable, but...that's not really so bad, is it?" he challenged. Akane considered this for longer then needed, which took his confidence down by a notch.

"It's not bad at all. In fact...aside from a few occasions...I like that about you. You can't be controlled, and you won't be controlled. You're your own man, and you don't conform. That can be a very good quality," she said. _A very good...did she just..._ Ranma looked at her silently, then nodded, feeling suddenly shy. _Yup, that was a compliment alright. But how can I answer that? She just insulted me and complimented me in a way that still made it alright...if I try that, I'll just get her mad._

"Don't give me that look. I said it was good," she defended, taking his silence the wrong way.

"I know. I'm not...damn," he said, aiming his gaze at the desk as he fished for words. Where were the words? He wasn't a sentimental idiot, but he also wasn't cold as ice. It was a good chance, now, to reciprocate how he felt. He could do it without looking like an idiot, if he could find the right way to say it. But as usual, his vocabulary failed, and he became frustrated.

"Ranma? What is it?" she said, leaning towards the desk to try to meet his eyes.

"Nothin'." The look had done it. Something about how she had tried to look right at him, to probe, to see what he was thinking always made him push his feelings down further.

"It doesn't look like nothing," she countered, and Ranma frowned. _Nah, I can't do it now. I'll just look like an idiot..._

"I just lost my train of thought, is all," he finished, and noticed as an oddly dissapointed look came over her face.

"I see. Well if you find it again, let me know, okay?" she asked. Ranma sighed, but nodded.

"Yeah. I, uh, I will," he said lamely.

But they didn't discuss it again, that night. Ranma couldn't decide if that was a smart move on his part, or a true sign that Akane was right about him being a wishy-washy idiot.


	11. Bringing a Sword

**Chapter 3: Bringing a Sword**

The next day passed fairly normally, for the most part. Gosunkugi had the outmost confidence in his plan. In fact, he was sure Ranma had even been nice to him, at the lunch time meeting. Not once had he tried to take his things, or hit him, or embarrass him in some way. Yet there had been a damper on it; Akane and Ranma had barely fought, and when they did it was quickly over. He caught Akane looking at Ranma several times when he wasn't looking, and even Ranma, with his reputation of being above all things affectionate, was occasionally glancing at her. There seemed to be something on their minds, distracting them, but he was sure he didn't want to know any more then he could see.

_It's just a lull, they'll be at each other's throats soon. And if not...it'll just make the spell even worse._ But it was of little comfort. They were still a couple, and that fact alone pained him. Plus, he didn't even know if the plan was going to work. What if Kuno and Kodachi didn't show up? They obviously wouldn't let him do the spell if they didn't, since he had said the point was for it to affect the Kunos. What if there was fighting enough to disrupt the spell? Or it misfired, or worse, backfired? He didn't like all the ifs, and ors. Ifs and ors were not something that lead to a successful curse.

Though he wouldn't tell Akane or Ranma, he hadn't even done this sort of curse before. It was...special. Unlike anything he had ever tried before. But it seemed so basic to him. So elementary. He was positive he could do it. Even if he wasn't completely sure he understood certain aspects of it...it was fine. He could do it.

_I'll just have to make do with what I have._ He looked at his watch again, visible only by the four candles fastened to his head, and the six that were also on the floor around him. He was hidden underneath the stage in the gym. On the lower front part of the stage, Ranma had punched a hole earlier, then put a thin, black mesh square of material over it to conceal the hole. It was enough for Gosunkugi to see clearly what was going on, once the lights were turned on, without anyone being able to see him. Unless they were really close to the mesh. _Or lifted it in a fight...,_ he thought nervously, noting that his face was close enough for a punch to hurt. A lot. The fact that he'd be alone in a gym with four skilled martial artists made him incredibly nervous; the fact that one of them was Akane Tendo only served to make him more nervous, despite that he was sure she wouldn't hurt him. Pretty sure, anyway. She only seemed to hit people when they had it coming.

_Kodachi doesn't sound quite that sane, though...and Kuno and Ranma...ahh, it's almost time. Need to prepare._ Reaching behind him, he pulled out four small, doll-like figures made of straw and wood. On each he had written a letter in black wax, then dripped over it with frog's blood; A, R, T and K. Akane, Ranma, Tatewaki, and Kodachi. Silently, he arranged them in the proper order, then readied the incense. All he had to do now, was wait.

* * *

><p>He studied himself in the mirror again, turning around to check the back of his green shirt. Reaching over his shoulder, he picked off a piece of lint from his shirt, half annoyed with himself for caring about lint. Turning around, he quickly finished going over his appearance and smirked. He had been ready for this fight days ago.<p>

In the mirror, he watched another figure walk into the room. A female figure, in a pretty blue dress that hugged her curves, yet didn't show much skin. It resembled her school dress in shade, but the top wasn't jumper style; Akane didn't need to wear a white blouse underneath it. It was almost Chinese style, with its silk covered buttons, high neck, and capped sleeves. Turning around, he took on a fighting stance, as though he were challenging her. Akane put her hands on her hips, but nodded approvingly. He noticed she was wearing high socks that went up to her knees, no doubt to help protect her skin from scrapes, and her shoes were different then usual; they were more like slippers, like his.

"One comment about being dressed to kill, and I swear I'll hit you," she said.

"Feh," he said, standing back up to his normal posture. _As if I'd say somethin' stupid like that...though I suppose we both do look a little dressed up to be fighting,_ "It was your idea for us to wear nice clothes, anyway. I can fight in anything, but I don't really feel like ruining this shirt. I don't have very many good ones left, ya know," he said, walking to the other side of the room to pick up the silk flowers meant to distract Kodachi.

At first they had planned to just ambush the two of them; crouch to one side of the door, and just wait. But then Akane had pointed out that it'd be best to take them out silently, and without notice. Ambushing could lead to a fight, and noise, and the school night security coming to check on them.

"They should have gotten the invitations about an hour ago. I sent two different people to do it, at different times," said Akane, who was now checking her own hair in the mirror. Looking satisfied, she straightened and turned to look at him. With the way she looked, Ranma almost wished that this would be a real date. But then, real dates tended to be just two people, and they weren't supposed to involve fighting. At least, not as far as he knew.

"Everything else we need is in this pouch," she continued, pointing to a small, blue vinyl bag that hung off of a thin, silver cording on her waist, "Antidote, chloroform, and rags. Hopefully we can get through plan A without having to go to plan B," she said, looking up at him.

"You don't think it'd be fun to beat up Kodachi? Even just a bit? You know you wanna," said Ranma, walking towards the door with the fake flowers in his arms. Akane did normally enjoy fighting, but this was different. This wasn't self-defense, or competition, or even a fair fight. This was almost...kidnaping. _It'll probably go to plan B, anyway...Akane's always the last to admit when she's wrong. Gettin through Kuno and Kodachi's defenses ain't easy. We're probably gonna have to fight 'em._ He knew she could take out Kodachi. Absolutely take her out, if she had to. But with the way Akane's heart and mind worked, Ranma feared the issue was 'would she'.

He himself had no real qualms about it, despite how passionately Akane had debated the issue earlier. Beating on them was a means to an end; he went along with her plan A to keep her quiet, mostly. Kuno and Kodachi weren't being badly hurt, or killed, or changed. They were just being...cursed. _Yeah, one of them good curses, Saotome?_ He heard a dry voice cackle in his head. Ranma ignored it.

"Do you really think Gosunkugi knows what he's doing?" asked Akane, changing the subject and almost reading Ranma's mind.

"This's a switch. I thought you were all for it now?" countered Ranma. Akane looked doubtful, and frowned.

"I was. Maybe I'm thinking too much into it, now. Either way...if there's even a chance we can get Kuno and Kodachi to leave us alone...we probably should take it. Right? I mean, it's just a curse," she said, in an offhanded manner that struck Ranma like a punch. _Just a curse...heh. Like I have 'just a curse'...I wonder if it's really okay, to do this to them. But it's not like we're making them switch genders, or turning them into ducks or anythin'. It's more like..._

His instincts were yelling at him, and Akane had only fed them more fuel. The dry voice in his head had been right to comment; he knew this was risky. They both knew it was risky, and probably stupid. Then again, it wouldn't be the first time they had been at risk for something. Both he and Akane had risked their lives many a time, and things had been okay in the end. He just wished this time his instincts would shut up, and let him work. Nothing better was coming to mind. He thumbed his nose absently, thinking.

"I wouldn't call it a curse. It's more like hypnotizing, or brainwashing. They're not gonna turn into anything else, they're just gonna...react different," said Ranma, sounding more confident then he felt. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door, and walked out into the Tendo hallway. Akane followed him silently.

"Leaving for your date now?" asked a voice as they passed by the living room. Looking over, Ranma saw his mother, dressed in simple housecleaning clothes. She was walked over to them, a small smile on her face as though she knew something they didn't.

"It's actually a fight, Auntie Saotome," said Akane, gently. _Sorry Mom..., _thought Ranma, when he saw the disappointment in her face.

"I see. In those clothes?" she asked, walking up to Akane and touching the fine buttons on her dress.

"It's a disguise," said Ranma. In response, his mother switched to him, and began fixing the collar of his shirt, which he was sure didn't need fixing two minutes ago. His first thought was to push away her hands, but he let her fuss over him; it was still odd to have his mother around, anyway. He was still getting used to what he was supposed to let her do, and how he was supposed to react.

"How clever," she said, managing to look amused again, "You two _will_ go on a date again soon though, right? A real date. You've both been cooped up in here a lot lately, studying. It's good to study, but it won't help your exams to be stressed out and overworked," she lectured.

"Err, well...," began Ranma, looking back over to Akane. The latter looked as though she were also searching for the correct response, and shuffled her feet.

"That's a good idea, Auntie Saotome. Maybe later on this week," she said after a moment. Nodding, Mrs. Saotome patted Ranma's cheek gently, then turned around, heading back into the living room.

"Well good luck then. I hope you don't ruin your nice clothes," she said over her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Mom, we'll be fine," said Ranma confidently. Without giving chance for anyone else to see them, Ranma took Akane's hand and led her out of the house. The sound of the door closing behind them was resounding, but they started out anyway, their path lit by the setting sun and the dimly lit street lights.

* * *

><p>When they got to the gym, about ten minutes before the Kunos were due to show up, they first went to the covered hole in the stage to make sure Gosunkugi was there and that everything was going well. Akane felt at least partially relieved that everything was on target so far. She could only see Gosunkugi's face through the mesh, but his eyes looked confident, something that seemed rare on him. Ranma once again made him reassure them that this would only affect Kodachi and Kuno, and do nothing more then make sure they didn't want to be around Ranma and Akane. She didn't know if he was doing this for her benefit or his own, but she appreciated it. After a quick exchange of murmured well-wishing, they took their places. Akane went to the front of the gym, which was a bigger area and would make things easier for Akane to escape should she get in trouble, while Ranma went to the side entrance. It was smaller, and if Kodachi did bring her weapons, especially her ribbon, it'd be harder to use it.<p>

They turned on the lights. The gym looked so huge and empty, with the lights on but no students running around, making noise. An odd feeling of foreboding made her shiver. She wasn't scared, certainly. She could take out Kuno easily, and Kodachi right after if she had to. But the talk about the curse...despite that he had hidden it from her, she could tell the fact that it was a curse was still making Ranma nervous. Not many things made Ranma nervous. She pushed the fear down, though, and tried to make herself think it was nothing.

"Hello? Akane Tendo, it is I, Tatewaki Kuno! Are you here?" called a very familiar voice. It sent the shivers all over again, but these were of disgust. Putting her hand in her pouch to grab the chloroform soaked rag, she put on a smile, and waited.

"I'm in here, Kuno! Hurry up, I don't like waiting." _As though he needs encouragement,_ she thought dryly, hearing him turn the knob violently. He pushed it open, arms extended, with his wooden sword attached to the usual holster on his gi. It wasn't his usual outfit, though; he appeared to be wearing something newer, with more embroidery on it. In his arms were roses, obviously for her. Within a moment he had leapt in front of her, bouquet extended, a smile on his face that made her suddenly much more anxious for plan A to mess up so they could go to plan B. _Akane! Try and show a bit of humanity...just because he's a pervert, and an idiot, and a casanova, doesn't mean... _She tried to find the words she had used to convince Ranma earlier, but couldn't find them.

"Shh, pipe down, Kuno. You don't want to get security over here, do you?" she asked. But Kuno was already leaping at her, most likely aiming at an embrace. Dodging, Akane grabbed the roses, and feigned admiring them.

"Careful, you'll hurt the roses, Kuno. You don't want to kill the flowers, do you?" she asked, nervously. Old feelings surfaced within her, trying to take control, wanting to strike or run. Memories of Kuno, following her home until she learned to run and hide from him when she was eleven. Of Kuno at their first school dance, keeping all the other boys away with his sword. Not that she wanted to dance with the other boys anyway, but it had been her first and last school dance. Kuno, with a smile on his face, just for her. Kuno, announcing that no one but he was worthy of pursuing her. Kuno, following and hounding her within an inch of her life, day in, day out, for years. Akane didn't blame herself for the unbidden shiver, but kept a hand from striking him.

"But, Akane! Roses are nothing compared to our love. I will comply, though, for you," he said. His eyes looked wild, and full of obsession._ And idiocy...,_ she thought, looking at the man who had stalked her since she was a child. The realization didn't terrify her as much as she thought it would. He was her stalker. Tatewaki Kuno.

Backing up towards the main gym, and closer to Ranma, she held on tighter to the rag. _I just need to get close enough...without giving him the wrong idea._ Bending her head to smell the flowers, she kept an eye on him, and planned her next move. _If I can get him to think I'm delicate...oh, but Ranma is so much better at playing the damsel in distress..._

"Is that a rip on the shoulder, Kuno? Near the back of the jacket," she said, feigning concern.

"A rip? On this outfit? Impossible! It's brand new," he said, but he craned his neck to look. Seeing an opening, Akane approached, pretending to examining the fictional rip. Before she could act, though, Kuno grabbed her in his arms and held her.

"Akane! For you to be concerned about a rip on my clothing...I'm so happy!" he said dramatically. Unable to resist, Akane kicked him away, then leapt to the other side of the room. Unperturbed, Kuno got up, rubbing the spot on his hip where he had kicked her.

"A game, is it?" he said, running towards her again. Trying to keep herself from screaming, Akane ran away, holding the rag in one hand and dropping the roses carelessly to the floor. Looking back, she saw Kuno scoop them up without breaking stride. She stopped suddenly, sidestepping so that he ran past her. Thinking it still a game, he came back at her, arms extended. Holding back a look of repulsion, she tried to jump up to his shoulder, and cover the his face with the rag again. This time, he managed to pluck her up as though she were a kitten, and hold her arms down. Defeated, Akane squirmed, kicking at his shins.

"Kuno...let me go...you're...you're going to wrinkle my dress," she said, finally kicking away. He let her down, but his eyes were just as wild. Unable to contain her anger, she punched him, sending him flying across the room.

"Oh, Akane! To stir such passion...you are surely a woman in the full bloom of love!" he said, recovering from the other side of the room and running towards her again. Akane thought she was going to be sick.

_Ugh. Please let this end soon...please. I don't know how much more I can take of this idiot._

* * *

><p>"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down, Kodachi. We shouldn't take things so fast," said Ranma, feeling a few beads of sweat form on his forehead. The eccentric gymnastics expert took a step towards him, swaying her slim hips and absently twirling her fighting ribbon. <em>I can't believe she took that on a date. What did she think she'd need it for? Unless...oh. Oh, ew.<em> Taking a step back, he thrust the silk roses towards her, using them almost as a shield. _I can't hit her...but I can't avoid her either. What is WITH this girl?_ Trying to keep a pleasant look on his face, he made himself stand still, flowers still extended.

"Don'tcha want my gift? I bought them for you," he said, keeping his other hand behind him. In it was the chloroform rag Akane had given him earlier; he hoped she would approach and take the roses, giving him an opening. But clearly, that would just be too easy. Kodachi gave him a sultry look, then dived at him.

"Oh, Ranma! But why do you want to take things slow? Slow is boring," she said, leaping to his arms and taking the silk roses. It had been a natural reaction to catch her, but now he couldn't get his hand to her mouth. Holding the silk flowers on her lap, she looked at them, pouting.

"These aren't real. Aren't I good enough for real roses?" she asked, as Ranma put her down.

"What's the difference? A rose is a rose," he said lamely, trying to sidestep behind her and drug her. Quick as a mouse, Kodachi turned, and flushed.

"Why, Ranma, are you trying to get behind me? And you were talking about taking things slow!" she said, lunging at him. Back-flipping out of the way, Ranma reached for the door behind him that lead to the main gym.

_That's it, Akane, time for plan B. This is just not gonna work, I can't get close enough to her without her...ew. EW._ As he was opening the door, he noticed that Kodachi had followed him in his backflips, and was now leaning up against him. Her hand was massaging his strong arm muscles, while she looked up at him with wild, obsessed eyes. _One more try, and it's plan B time,_ he thought, raising the other hand to drug her. As though she knew what he was doing, she grabbed his hand, leaving his arm. For now.

"Ohohoho! You're such a tease!" she said, as Ranma finished opening the door. He could hear noises in the gym; was Akane alright? _Sounds like it's switching time._

Leaping away from her, he lunged through the open door, the gym lights now on clear and bright. In a split second he took in Akane, standing near the center of the room, with Kuno looking at her lovingly. From several paces away, he was happy to note.

"Ranma!" she called, turning around to take in him and Kodachi. Practically flying to Akane, he took position behind her, careful to keep his eyes on Kodachi. Having his fiancée behind him was little comfort, though. Now he not only had to worry about himself versus Kodachi, he had to protect Akane, and worry over Kuno. Chances are they would be fine, but if Kodachi did something to Akane while he was distracted by Kuno...

"Saotome! How dare you interfere on this date!" called Kuno, raising his sword.

"Brother! What are YOU doing here? With that devious monster, of all people! How dare you intrude on our date!" hissed Kodachi. The two glowed with battle auras, momentarily forgetting about Ranma and Akane as they glared at each other.

"Hey, Akane...you alright?" asked Ranma quietly. Grabbing her arms, he guided her into a turn so that he would be facing Kuno, and she Kodachi. Fortunately, the siblings were still flinging insults at each other, and questioning the right of the other to be there.

"I'm fine. I want to kill Kuno now, rather then just drug him. What was I thinking?" she asked, and he could feel her back muscles tense up further.

"Lapse of judgement. It happens when you forget that the Kunos ain't exactly normal people," he said quietly. "Just take out Kodachi, and fast, okay? I'll get Kuno."

"Make sure you leave a scar on him," growled Akane, before getting into position. _Geez, she's really on edge,_ thought Ranma, eyeing Kuno. He was still glaring at his sister, his battle aura even larger now. Akane's was building, to almost rival it, and he brought his own out easily.

_Will do, Akane._ Ranma cracked his knuckles, and crouched.

"Now!" shouted Akane, and suddenly they sprang from their position in the center of the gym. Kuno and Kodachi forgot about each other for the time being, noticing that they had even bigger rivals after them now.

"Saotome! Prepare to die!"

"Ohoho! I'll put you out for good this time, wench!"

Seeing Kuno raise his sword, Ranma jumped on it, turning to kick Kuno in the face. Kuno flung his sword up in defense to get Ranma off of it.

"How dare you!" he cried, charging after him. Ranma landed easily on the stage, and smirked confidently at the kendo martial artist.

"Easily. C'mon, Kuno, you know you can't beat me," said Ranma, jumping up as Kuno barreled through the stage. Ranma heard the sound of Gosunkugi gasping, then looked down to see that Kuno had rammed the wood in just left of where Gosunkugi was. _Ouch. Better stop playing with him and just finish him off, _thought Ranma, landing on the ground.

"Stop dodging and fight like a man!" cried Kuno, charging at him once more.

"Part of my plan," said Ranma, jumping up as Kuno came at him. Unleashing a fury of blows on Kuno, he was kept in the air from the sheer force of them, punch after punch after punch. Kuno was pushed back from the assault, the blows to his face, shoulders, chest and neck too much to handle. Landing, Ranma turned in a roundhouse kick, aiming his foot at Kuno's skull.

Kuno was on the floor and out cold before Ranma had even set down his foot again.

"Heh. Easy," commented Ranma, turning Kuno onto his stomach and tying up his wrists with rope from his pocket.

"Now to watch Akane," he said, sitting down on the small of Kuno's back. Just in case.

Akane and Kodachi were locked in stance, sizing each other up. Clearly there had been some fighting, as it looked like either might have a hair out of place. Might. He watched as Akane let out a small cry, and lunged at Akane, aiming for a punch. Kodachi dodged, trying to catch Akane's ankle in the ribbon. It lasted long enough to cause her to miss, but soon Akane had ripped it off, then landed close to her.

"Ohohoho!"

"Just give up now, Kodachi, and I won't hurt you. Much," said Akane. Kodachi, obviously not listening, lunged at Akane again; his fiancee easily side stepped, then knocked her out with a fist to her skull. As Ranma had done, she put Kodachi on her stomach, then tied her hands together. Looking up, she saw Ranma sitting on Kuno, then nodded. Picking up Kodachi, Akane carried her over, and placed her down beside her brother, keeping one foot on the floor and one on the small of Kodachi's back. Just in case.

"Oh, Gosunkugi!" she said, looking over at the stage. Ranma followed her gaze, and realized he had forgotten about the guy.

"Idiot! Why did you have to fight over there!" she said, running over to other part of their trio.

"Hey, it was Kuno who ran into the stage like a bull!" cried Ranma. Resting his feet on Kodachi's back, he watched as Akane picked through the rubble, then looked as though she were talking to Gosunkugi. _Not even a word of thanks. I gave him a scar, too. That scratch on his shoulder from the stage, plus my punching, has gotta leave a mark._

"Is he alright?" he called, when Akane ran back.

"He's fine. Kuno knocked some wood on him, and put out a candle, but he thinks it's okay."

"Thinks? You mean he ain't sure?" asked Ranma, standing up. He thought he heard Kodachi groan as he stepped from her back to the floor in front of Akane.

"Well that's what he said, he doesn't know. I don't think he's actually done this before, Ranma," Akane confessed. Ranma could feel the whole plan crashing down on them. Something in the back of his head screamed 'I told you so!' mockingly; his very aura tingled and crackled, as he looked at Akane's face. Disappointment shone true there, and confusion. And worry. Great, horrible, world-ending worry.

"Oh, wonderful. So now we have skeleton boy over there, starting a curse that...hey. Do you smell something, Akane?" he asked, suddenly noticing an odd scent in the air. Akane lifted her nose as well, sniffing and looking displeased. His danger sense flashed bright red in his mind, urging him to get out. Now. But could he get them all out before it was too late? Or would it be okay if he just grabbed Akane, and...but it was too late. The warning sensations were going in overload. Akane's eyes...they were...flashing? Why was her battle aura up again, and glowing bright red? Her voice came through to him, as though from the bottom of a deep, damp well.

"What do you think it...ohh..." Before she could finish, Akane's eyes closed and she fell over. Ranma caught her easily, looking at her face as he held her limp body. Her aura was gone now; completely faded away. Ranma had a sinking feeling that he was at the point of no return, even if he did manage to get Akane out now. Even if Gosunkugi...even if...Gosunkugi...he was having a hard time concentrating, and he realized that his aura was flashing. Ranma was angry. Very, very angry, but it all felt so dull. Like he was watching himself hold his unconscious fiancée, and watching himself be angry, from elsewhere in the gymnasium. Something was draining him, as it had Akane. He didn't care about himself right then, though; his thoughts were all for Akane. Concern for her, and rage towards the one who had most likely done this to her.

"Akane? Akane? Gosunkugi! What did you...ahhh..." The gym suddenly seemed to get much bigger, and much smaller all at once, and went dark. Falling backwards, he landed on Kuno and Kodachi, Akane in his arms. Kuno groaned, and then all was silent in the gym.

* * *

><p>"This isn't supposed to happen, this isn't supposed to happen, this isn't supposed to happen..." Gosunkugi was, to put it mildly, freaked out. Nothing was going right anymore. Oh, it had looked okay, after the ox had broken the stage. It had still looked alright after he had relit the candles, and cleared the debris away from the dolls. It had even looked just fine not two seconds ago, when Akane had checked on him. But now something was very, very wrong. The dolls were glowing, in bright colours. Almost like-<p>

"Battle auras! Why? Why why why why? They aren't _supposed_ to have battle auras, they're supposed to...to.."

*THUMP*

He gasped, looking out at the large hole that was now in front of him. A pile of bodies was on the floor of the gym; Ranma and Akane had just toppled over the ox and his crazy sister. Gosunkugi wanted to scream in frustration, but instead he got up, jumped over the dolls and out of his circle of candles, and rushed to the pile of bodies to see what was wrong. Akane might have been hurt. He didn't care about the other three, but if Akane was hurt...he just wouldn't be able to live with himself. He had to make sure she was okay.

"What's that...smell..." Before he was two steps away from the stage, the floor came up and slapped him hard on the face.

Once again, all was silent in the gym. Behind him, under the stage, the dolls hummed with battle auras.

* * *

><p>"Where in the world am I now?!" screamed Ryoga Hibiki, waking up to an unfamiliar room. On closer inspection, though, it actually was a familiar room. He was laying on a futon, in a warm house. Sitting up, he looked at his surroundings more closely. A table, chairs, open sliding doors looking out into a koi pond. It was still dark outside, but from the look of the sky, the sun was due to come up in a half hour. Or so.<p>

_A koi pond..._

Realization of where he was made him get up, and run towards the exit. _I'm in Akane's house! How did I get here? I need to go, before she..._

"Hey! Hey, wait! Hibiki! I went to all that trouble to get you to wake up, and you won't even listen to me?" called a voice behind him. Stopping at the porch, Ryoga turned around to see Nabiki standing at the doorway. She waggled a finger at him, as though to get him to come closer. Ryoga first tried to take a step back, but Nabiki shook her head.

"No, come HERE. Forward. I'm not going to hurt you," she said. Ryoga eyed her suspiciously.

"Is Akane here? Because if she sees me here..." He began.

"No, she's not, and that's the point. Akane and Ranma are missing," said Nabiki. _What? Missing? Arg, damn you Ranma, what did you get Akane into now?_ He stormed back over to Nabiki, lifting dust in his wake. She shrank back, seemingly scared by the expression on his face. Or maybe because his foot was now through the table he had seen earlier.

"Missing since when? What happened?" he demanded, concern flowing through his veins. If Ranma had gotten Akane in danger again, he swore he'd kill him this time. Or come as close as he possibly could. He already had a very bad feeling about the whole thing, just from looking at Nabiki's face.

"Breathe, Ryoga. Breathe. There, better? Here. They're photocopies," she said, handing him two pieces of paper that appeared to be invitations. Quickly reading them over, he shook his head, not understanding.

"What, are you kidding me? They'd never invite the Kunos out on a date. This doesn't make sense," he said, looking over the papers in puzzlement. _They wanted to meet them at the school gym...and they did write these! I know that's Akane's writing...and this is...this has to be Ranma,_ He thought, feeling beads of sweat form.

"Of course it doesn't make sense! Idiot, it's a trap that they set," called a loud, and slightly distressed female voice. Ryoga looked up in time to see Ukyo walk into the room, a hand on her hip and spatula on her back. She tossed him his pack, which he caught and held dully in his hands. Noticing his umbrella was leaning against the wall, he picked it up and put it in place on the pack automatically.

"Ukyo. Why are you here?" he asked, Nabiki now ignored. He noted the tired look in Ukyo's eyes, though she certainly looked like she had recovered from the last time he had seen her. Which had been crying, in her restaurant. If anything, she just looked merely perturbed. At him.

"Same reason you are, sugar. Nabiki called me over here to take you to find Ranma and Akane," said Ukyo, sounding calmer. Still, he saw her eyebrow twitch as she looked at the invitations in Ryoga's hands.

"Huh? Then how did I get here?" he asked, scratching his head.

"I was wondering that myself. Last night, I went upstairs to look for Akane, and found a rather drunk, black piglet in her bed. But no Akane," explained Nabiki.

"Drunk? But I don't...oh...OH. Damn. Damn damn damn," repeated Ryoga, not noticing that he had put a small hole in the Tendo living room wall. Memories of the last few days slowly came back to him; Konatsu keeping him under guard in Ukyo's restaurant, Ukyo coming home early from school in tears, Ryoga trying to go up to her room to comfort her, but being intercepted by a small child who decided to make him her pet. Again. It had taken Ryoga two days to escape that, at least, if not three. Last night, he had found himself in a bar, still a pig. One of the patrons had thought it funny to give him vodka in a dish instead of water; only too late did Ryoga notice what he was drinking.

"Ugh. I must have stumbled back here somehow...I'm sorry, Nabiki. Really," he apologized, paying complete attention to the middle Tendo sister again. Nabiki sniffed, but looked more amused then annoyed.

"Don't worry about it. If anything, it's more convenient this way," she said. _Convenient? How is it...?_

"Isn't anyone else looking for them? Mr. Tendo? Ranma's dad? Anyone?" asked Ryoga. Nabiki nodded, looking grim.

"They are, but the idiots were so worried that they left before I could explain where they were. Then I remembered that we happened to have an unexpected martial artist spending the night. But why are you people still here? Go, go!" said Nabiki, waving her arms. Ukyo grabbed Ryoga's arm, but didn't have to pull for long before he put on his backpack, following her.

"Come on, sugar, the gym isn't far," said Ukyo, already jumping off the back porch.

"We'll find them, Nabiki, I swear!" said Ryoga, jumping off as well. _Oh, Akane, please be okay, please be okay..._

It was a few minutes before Ryoga calmed down enough to notice just who he was with again. Ukyo. She was leading him quietly, a determined look on her face. Ukyo. She had been crying that day, when she had forgotten about school._ What happened then? I never did get to find out._ Ryoga jogged to catch up with her, and she extended an arm, as though to keep him from getting ahead of her.

"Slow down, P-chan. I'm supposed to keep you from getting lost," said Ukyo. Ryoga flushed angrily at the nickname, all thoughts of comfort and concern melting away. _When did she find out I was cursed, anyway? Maybe Ranma told her. That idiot has no sense of privacy, or feelings, or even common decency._ Ryoga snorted, wondering again where Ranma had taken Akane to. They probably weren't even at the gym anymore, not this late. _Oh Akane..._

"P-chan? This is hardly the time for name calling. And how did you find out about the curse, anyway?" he growled, but stayed by her side. He suddenly hated how easily he got lost, and realized what Nabiki's first instinct had been when she decided she needed Ryoga. That Ryoga needed a guide; someone to hold his hand and make sure he didn't take a wrong turn. Ukyo clearly knew her role as well; find Akane and Ranma, but make sure the pig boy didn't get lost. _Feh. I don't need a babysitter._

"Huh? Oh, I sort of pieced it together. You know, you'd disappear, then Akane's pig would be there. I cornered Ranma about it, and he didn't say no. You've only confirmed it, since." She shrugged, as though it weren't a big deal.

"That jerk! He swore he wouldn't tell...feh, he's so weak with women," Ryoga shook his head distastefully, "And just because you do know, doesn't mean you get to call me that. My name is Ryoga. Only one person is allowed to call me P-chan," he declared, wondering grimly where Akane could be. _Maybe they ARE still in the school...they could even still be fighting. But they can take out Kuno and Kodachi easily...it's been hours._ He completely missed the brief, sad expression that came over Ukyo's face at the dismissal of friendship.

"Sorry. Truce?" she asked. Something in her voice made its way through the mist-like images of Akane, clouding his mind. _No time for fighting...even if she IS being a pain..._

"Truce. I don't like this, Ukyo. Something is wrong here. Very, very wrong. It shouldn't take them more then minutes to beat up those two. Even if there was more then the plan to that, they've been gone all night; it'll be sunrise in a short while," he commented, seeing his uneasiness and uncertainty mirrored in Ukyo's face. _She must be worried about Ranma, or else she wouldn't be helping. Hey wait, didn't she get Ranma to promise to stay away from her? Won't this be breaking that? Even though she's the one who thought it up in the first place._ Ryoga's emotions were all over the place; concern for Akane, hatred for Ranma, but at the same time, sympathy for Ukyo peppered with annoyance at her attitude towards him. He didn't know what to think, he didn't know what to do except run with her, and try to help. They just had to find them.

"I know," was all she said, and the two of them jogged faster. Suddenly her face brightened, and she turned to Ryoga. Something seemed very forced about the brightness, and it made his heart ache. "It'll be okay, sugar. We're going to go save them. We'll be like their guardian angels. Or their knights," she said.

"Guardian angels, huh?" was all Ryoga could find to respond to that. _What are we doing here, really? Helping friends?_ But he had to help Akane. They had to help Akane, no matter what. Ranma too, if he happened to be there. If the idiot hadn't hurt Akane, and wasn't the real cause of her being missing. He didn't hate Ranma normally...not much, anyway. But right now...

"I told Ranma to stay away from me for a while. But...this can't be helped," said Ukyo, her face dark once more.

"Agreed. I could never let anything happen to Akane. Even if she marries him, and they have dozens of kids, I'll still..." He trailed off, suddenly becoming depressed at the image. Beside him, Ukyo's face darkened further.

"We're pathetic, aren't we," she said quietly, as they rounded the corner and began climbing over the Furinkan School gate.

"Very. In a...noble way," added Ryoga. Once they were over the gate, they jumped back to the other side with rolling breakfalls, then bounced back to a run. _I'm coming, Akane. Almost there..._

* * *

><p><em>I'm sorry, Ranma, but I can't just sit on my hands and wait to see if you're okay...,<em> thought Ukyo, as she opened the gym door. Light seeped out, and bathed the faces of Ryoga and Ukyo as they took in the scene before them.

The gymnasium was large and empty, save for a small pile of bodies near the middle of the room. The front part of the stage was damaged, and a piece of black material looked to be haphazardly covering it. As her and Ryoga ran into the room, she recognized the bodies of Ranma, Akane, Kuno, Kodachi, and closer to the stage, someone who was dressed in black clothes, and equally out.

"Ranma! Oh gods, what happened here?" she cried, rushing to kneel by Ranma's head. She felt a chilling dread at the sight of him. Cold, still, and pale. So pale...

"Akane! Arg, even when they're out cold, Ranma just has to be..." Ryoga didn't finish his sentence, and carefully moved Ranma's arms off of her.

"Careful you don't break any bones," scolded Ukyo, still looking at Ranma. Her heart had nearly leapt up through her esophagus until she noticed he was still breathing. They all seemed to be. Gingerly, she touched his cheek, and found it to be warm, despite the pastiness of the colour. In the air, there was a residual scent of ashes, and some sort of herbs. Mystified, she looked over at Ryoga, who had picked up Akane and was gently setting her down on the floor a few paces from the bodies. His first thought had been for her, just as hers had been for Ranma. The irony at their pathetic persistence made her want to scream, but she held it in check. More was at stake here. She brushed away some of Ranma's ebony hair from his eyes, willing him to wake up.

"Uhhn...just a few more minutes, Pop," groaned Ranma, making Ukyo jump. She hadn't actually expected it to work. Experimentally, she found herself willing him to kiss her as well, but made herself stop. This wasn't the time for her to be a foolish little girl. She probably hadn't willed him to wake up, either; touching his hair and Ryoga moving Akane off of him had most likely done that.

"Ranma-honey! You're okay?" she practically squealed. _They were just sleeping. Idiot, don't scare me like that! But why were they sleeping like this? What happened here?_

"Pipe down, Ranma! Can't you tell I'm trying to sleep?" moaned an equally fine Akane. Ukyo looked over at her and Ryoga, to see that Ryoga was incredibly happy and incredibly sad at the same time. The paradox made her shake her head, and she turned back to Ranma.

"Hey, sugar, get up. Don't you know where you are? This isn't the Tendo residence," she said, shaking Ranma gently.

"Huh? Is that...Ukyo? Ucchan!" he said, finally opening his eyes. Ranma promptly looked incredibly confused, and sat up. Kuno, still underneath Ranma, groaned loudly.

"What-" Before she could finish though, she saw Ranma's face contort into sheer anguish.

"Kodachi! Are you okay?" Ukyo looked blankly to the woman who Ranma was resting his feet on, and watched in horror as he jumped away from Ukyo, untied Kodachi's bound wrists, rolled her over to her back, and held her in his arms.

"Kodachi, wake up! Please!" he wailed, trying his best to wake up the sleeping girl.

"What in the..." Cut off again, this time by an overzealous Akane, she was pushed back as the blue haired girl untied Kuno's bonds, rolled him over, then gently stroked his cheek.

"Kuno? Kuno, wake up! Kuno!...P-please?" she begged, tears forming in her eyes.

"Wha-wha-wha-" Ukyo had lost complete control of her vocal chords. Her mind attempted to register what her eyes saw, but couldn't process it; it was as though her mind and her eyes were having an argument, and her mouth could only cope by repeating a single syllable over and over again. Soon though, she felt a strong, male hand clamping her mouth shut. She turned to see that it belonged to Ryoga, and after exchanging a look, he removed the hand.

"Thanks. But, uh...Ry...Ryoga...," she stammered, pointing to the two people who they had come to rescue, who were still trying to wake up the Kunos. In a rather over affectionate manner that made her stomach want to spill its contents. Violently.

"I have no idea. But we have to stop them, if Kodachi and Kuno find them like this, they'll take it all the wrong way!"

"So you DO see what I'm seeing, Ryoga? Is that what you're saying?" she asked, grabbing his shirt. This was all just too insane. This wasn't happening, she wasn't there, but then Ryoga just had to confirm it. He just had to...

"H-huh? What do you mean?"

"Cause what I'M seeing is Ranma-honey and Akane looking incredibly distressed over the fact that Kodachi and Kuno are not waking up! That can't be right, can it?" asked Ukyo, panicking. _Oh god, I'm losing it...I am SO losing it..._ She hadn't really thought she was seeing something different than Ryoga. Well, not really. But nothing else...rational...had entered her mind to explain it yet. Unless Ryoga had an explanation? Her hands shook hard, still clinging to Ryoga's shirt, and she didn't know how to stop them. _How dare Ranma-honey go to that...that witch!_

"Snap out of it!" he said, shaking her enough that Ukyo stopped gripping on his shirt. The tears slowed, and she looked back over to where Ranma was. _Arg, why is he holding that she-demon so close to him? If it was at least Akane, it wouldn't be so bad, but Kodachi?_ Still unable to process, her head began to throb. Before she could turn back to Ryoga, though, Kodachi stirred.

"Huh...?" she said, opening her large, black eyes, "Ranma!" she said loudly, surprised.

"Kodachi! Are you okay?"

"Akane Tendo! Release me from your grasp!" demanded Kuno, getting up and brushing himself off.

"But...but Kuno!" she called, running after him as Kuno bolted for the exit.

"Stay back, woman! I have no desire to date with you!"

"Brother, wait for me! Aren't you going to protect your own sister from this vile pervert?" hissed Kodachi, off like a flash after her brother.

"Kodachi, wait! Come back!" cried Ranma, the last to leave the room. And then, silence. Ryoga, obviously more in control of himself then Ukyo, managed to raise his hand and point to the door. Ukyo was impressed; her mind still didn't believe what her eyes had seen, but her ears were ringing with truth. She was definitely getting a headache.

"What. The. Hell. Was. That!" growled Ryoga, still in his sitting position, finger pointing to the door.

"I-I-I-" began Ukyo, her vocal chords betraying her again. Quickly, Ryoga clamped her mouth shut, then removed it when she nodded.

"Th-thanks, sugar," she said, still staring wide eyed at the door. Her body just wouldn't stop shaking.

From behind them, the last body stirred and groaned, a hand outstretched towards the two. Within a split second, Ryoga and Ukyo were practically on top of it, Ryoga's fangs bared and Ukyo's battle spatula in hand.

"Gosunkugi!" she cried, putting the spatula back when she recognized who it was. Her battle aura had flared up to astronomical proportions, but went down again when she saw the innocent classmate sprawled on the floor. Was he caught up in this mess too?

"I...I failed...," he said. Bending over, Ryoga grabbed his collar, then lifted Gosunkugi to his knees.

"You mean to say that this is your fault?" asked Ryoga. His battle aura hadn't faded one ounce.

"I was only doing what they wanted!" he said defensively. Gosunkugi was a mess; his clothes were rumpled, large, dark bags hung under his eyes, and a nasty cut graced his forehead. Sitting down in front of him, Ukyo cracked her knuckles, and gave him a level gaze.

"What, exactly, was it that Ranma-honey and Akane wanted?" she asked. Gosunkugi gulped.


	12. My Fickle Heart

**Chapter 4: My Fickle Heart**

Ryoga looked through his pack again, searching for a certain map. It had been in there, he was sure. He had packed it himself, so it should still be inside, unless Nabiki or Ukyo had taken it. He didn't think either was stupid enough to go through his pack. Digging around, he finally pulled it out, an expression of satisfaction briefly flashing over his face.

It was a map of Nerima.

"May as well update this as we wait, right? You can help, Gosunkugi," said Ryoga to the tied-up body beside him. Well, he wasn't completely tied up, just his wrists behind his back. His ankle was also tied to Ryoga's ankle. Ukyo had insisted on that, saying that if something happened, Ryoga at least wouldn't get lost. Ukyo's sense of 'humour' really grated on him, sometimes.

He was feeling better now. That really wasn't saying much, since he still felt horribly depressed, confused, and upset. Something was being done about the situation, though. Plus, he had the culprit in control. Under his control. Seeing the twerp suffer, despite that it wasn't directly helping Akane, was oddly satisfying.

"A-anything, just don't hurt me, okay? You martial artists are all so violent," he said, not meeting Ryoga's eyes.

"I'm not violent! I'm just a little strong. Anyway, better to be strong then a treacherous, ignorant magic abuser," Ryoga defended, looking back to his map.

Gosunkugi had told them the whole story, starting from the note he had given to Ranma. It had started on the day Ukyo had come back to the restaurant in tears; she should be counting her lucky stars that she hadn't ended up involved, though perhaps she could have been a voice of reason. Maybe. It was possible, anyway, that Ranma and Akane could have been talked out of doing something so obviously stupid.

As far as Gosunkugi could tell, the curse had been jumbled when Kuno had crashed the stage. Somehow that had managed to disrupt the dolls, and they absorbed the battle auras of the other four. Gosunkugi had even said that he had never been completely sure of what would happen, which only served to irritate Ryoga further. So now, apparently, Akane and Ranma were in love with Kuno and Kodachi, while the latter two hated Ranma and Akane passionately. Ryoga wasn't sure if it was poetic justice or ironic tragedy. But then, he had never been much of a philosopher.

It had not taken them long to realize that they would need someone versed in the dark arts, or at least battle auras and ki, to come and help them out. The only person they could think of off-hand was Shampoo's Great-Great-Grandmother; the Old Ghoul. Despite that this meant involving Shampoo. It was their only hope. Ukyo had gone off in search of her; Ryoga figured they had less then an hour before teachers and students began arriving at the school. They hoped to at least figure out the solution before the gym was taken over by students and the four cursed ones had to go to school. If they could forget about each other long enough to go to school, that is.

"Does this look right to you? Everyone keeps saying my maps aren't any good," said Ryoga, showing him the map and practically daring him to insult it. It consisted of the Tendo house, Furinkan High school, a few roads, and the Nekohanten. He had added that last one on the most recent trip to Nerima before this one.

"Well it's, uhh...well..."

"What?"

"Sorry! It's just...it's a good map, but you need a...a scale. So you know distances. And you don't have nearly enough roads, and...oh, hey, so that's where the Tendo house is?" he asked, looking suddenly more interested. Ryoga sighed, shaking his head and feeling his annoyance rise.

"Yes. Hey, you have any idea where Ucchan's Okinomiyaki place is? I need to add that." It was getting to be a habit for him to end up there. He didn't want to have to be guided away from it again. Or to it, if need be. Gosunkugi frowned, then nodded slightly.

"Put it...right above that bush, there. Where is that bush, anyway?"

"That's the park near Akane's house. At least, I'm pretty sure it's near it..." Ryoga creased his brow in thought.

"Oh. Well either way, I'm pretty sure her restaurant is west of here, and that bush looks very, uh, west," said Gosunkugi helpfully. Nodding, Ryoga marked in a small house, then wrote "Ucchan's Okonomiyaki" in it.

"Thanks. I'll get Ukyo to check it later. Ha! I'll show her I can make good maps," he said, putting the map of Nerima away. "I wonder what's taking her so long to get back."

"I'm s-sure she'll be back soon. So really, you could probably just let me go now. I've been here all night, and I need to get home, and have some breakfast, then sleep for maybe five minutes before coming back to-" He was stopped as Ryoga easily grabbed his shirt, lifted him an inch off the ground, then gently put him back.

"Not happening. Ukyo said you stay here, and stay here you will. Besides, I think you have a crush on Akane. You might do something else stupid, and make things worse." Gosunkugi gulped nervously. _Why do people always underestimate my intelligence?_

"Don't you, too? Akane is...is..." Gosunkugi's dark, creepy eyes were suddenly lit up, and a brief smile touched his lips. No doubt he was picturing the girl in question.

"Beautiful? I know that, idiot. I know that all too well." Feeling depressed, Ryoga sighed, tucking in his knees to his chest. Holding his legs close, he looked back in the hole in the stage. The dolls for Akane and Ranma were next to each other, with the K and T ones looking as though they had been kicked aside. He wanted to pick up the Akane one, just because it had her initial on it, and hold it. But stopped himself. It would just make things worse in the long run.

"Why are you listening to Ukyo then, if you love Akane? You don't love Ukyo too, do you?"

"Of course I don't! But...Akane's sister sent her with me as a guide. And believe me, you don't want to go against Nabiki. I've already got enough women against me," Ryoga said, shaking his head. He had heard Akane, and Ranma, complain about Nabiki. Often. She had seemed nice enough the two times they actually talked, but he was not one to forget anything that Akane said.

"Nabiki Tendo? Oh. OH. Better listen, then. She's the smart one." Surprised, Ryoga looked at him wide-eyed.

"Did you just insult Akane?"

"No, of course not! I meant...bad smart. Evil smart. Manipulative."

"Oh. Like you?" asked Ryoga.

"Yes. Err, no. Feh, I don't know. I just want Akane," said Gosunkugi, looking as depressed as Ryoga now.

"Join the club." Then the already-falling-apart stage got itself yet another hole from Ryoga's fist.

* * *

><p>"Cologne? Shampoo? Open up! It's important!" yelled Ukyo, banging on the front door to the Nekohanten. She stopped after a minute of no reply, and considered her options. No one was answering. She could look for a back door, which no doubt existed, or she could just break down this door. Or bang and shout some more. Opting for the third option, she knocked louder, hollering enough for Ryoga to probably hear her.<p>

"Wake up! It's about Ranma-honey!" Immediately the door was opened, and Ukyo was quickly pulled in.

"What you say about airen, spatula-girl?" asked an obviously pissed off Shampoo. Ukyo straightened herself, and scowled.

"My name is Ukyo, Shampoo. Even you should be able to handle it." She had never liked Shampoo. Not an ounce, not for even a moment, and she never planned on trying. But for Ranma-honey...she could be reasonable. As long as it lead to helping him.

"Spatula-girl trying Shampoo's patience! You come here, you knock, you yell, you shout, you say something happen to Ranma, and now you stand there and tell Shampoo things Shampoo already know?" she yelled, tapping her foot irritably. Ukyo rubbed her forehead. If she thought her headache was bad before, Shampoo's ringing voice was making it even worse.

"Ranma's in trouble. Gosunkugi put some sort of curse on him, by accident. Though it may have been on purpose...either way, we need Cologne. The curse used their battle auras somehow, and your great-grandmother was the only person we could think of that knows a lot about them."

"A curse? Aiyaa! Great-grandmother, come quickly! Something happen to airen!" cried Shampoo, running towards a stairway at the back of the restaurant. She returned moments later, changed into a less wrinkled dress and with a tired, but still awake-looking Cologne in tow.

"I remember you. One of the girls trying to steal away Shampoo's Ranma! Well. And so you come to us, for help?" She stood on her long staff to consider Ukyo. The look in the old ghoul's eyes suggested she was searching her very soul for the answer, rather then wait for the verbal version. Ukyo shivered.

"Yes, I am. Are you going to help or not? Ranma's life is at stake! Well, sort of. He'll live, but...oh, just come on!" cried Ukyo, clearly still not master of her vocal chords. She didn't care, though. Cologne rolled her eyes, then looked up to Shampoo.

"Should we help them, Great-grandaughter?" Shampoo glanced at Ukyo, then nodded. "Fair enough. Let us go. You can give me the details on the way."

* * *

><p>Cologne had only a few questions for her during the course of the explanation, and Shampoo a few more. There was a determined light in the old ghoul's eyes; she was thinking. When Ukyo had started talking about Gosunkugi, and the curse, she had noticed Cologne's eyes widen in a cross between amazement and possibly fear. If Cologne actually feared anything, that is.<p>

"So Ranma chase after leotard-girl? And Akane after kendo-boy? No make sense. Of all hussies trying to steal away Ranma, leotard-girl least attractive. Ranma avoid her more then any others!" said Shampoo, trying to make sense of the situation. Ukyo bit back a retort to being called a hussy, and nodded.

"It was some sort of reversal curse, but it was only supposed to reverse the emotions of Kodachi and Kuno, not Ranma and Akane too."

It was light out now; they didn't have much time. Before long people would be pouring into the school.

"Ukyo...does this Gosunkugi have any sort of grudge against my son-in-law and Akane?"

"Well...no, not really. Not that I know of. Gosunkugi's sort of a loner. He's...weird."

"Weird? Nerima weird?" asked Shampoo. _Nerima weird? They have their own brand here? Though I guess things were a bit different, in my hometown. No one had Jusenkyo curses, anyway._

"No, just loner weird. He claims he knows black magic, and voodoo. I don't really know much about him, to be honest."

Cologne frowned, looking towards the sky.

"We need to hurry, girls. I have a very bad feeling about this whole ordeal."

"Shampoo agree. We hurry and help Ranma, yes?"

"We're almost there."

The school gate was still closed when they got there, so they had to climb over the wall. When they arrived at the gym, Ukyo was relieved to see Ryoga, still tied to Gosunkugi at the ankle.

"Ryoga!" she called, rushing over to sit beside him and check on their hostage. She was also relieved to be in the company of those other then Shampoo and Cologne, now. The two Amazons were definitely an itch that she couldn't quite scratch.

"Ah, good, Ryoga. You've kept him alive, I trust," asked Cologne, bounding up to Gosunkugi on her cane.

"Old Ghoul! It's about time," said Ryoga, earning himself a smack across the face from the cane.

"So you...Gosunkugi, is it? Foolish boy! Tell me, what is it that you have done here?" said Cologne crossly, staring down Gosunkugi like a tiger glaring at a mouse. Everyone wisely stepped away, Ryoga going as far as he could while still attached.

"A-Akane and Ranma...they...asked me to do it."

"I'm sure they did, but it doesn't mean you had to do it. Unless they threatened you? You don't look like a martial artist, to me."

"I'm not, and they...they didn't. I wanted to help them."

"I see. So...eh? What's this over here? The dolls Ukyo mentioned," said Cologne, momentarily losing interest in Gosunkugi to peer into the hole in the stage. Her eyes turned to slits as she took in the sight, and she rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

"You tried to do an emotion reversal spell, didn't you? But why? Surely you knew that it would affect Ranma and Akane too," she said, turning back to Gosunkugi. Ukyo shook her head in confusion. _A reversal spell? But..._ As the implication set in, her brown eyes went cold as ice.

"I didn't, but...but I wasn't sure...I..."

Ukyo watched Ryoga's eyes go wide as something dawned on him.

"You were trying to get Ranma and Akane to hate each other!" Ryoga's voice echoed off the gym ceiling. Gosunkugi tried to back away, then remembered the rope on his ankle, and paled. It wasn't the conclusion Ukyo would have come to, certainly. To her, reversal would mean that Ranma-honey's and Akane's feelings for the Kunos would just change. Ryoga did have a way of sometimes seeing straight to the core, though. It was odd, considering his sense of direction. If the facts were laid straight, he was sure to miss it. But if there was any sort of confusion, or vagueness, it was as though his natural survival instincts kicked in. The same instincts that had brought him running to Ukyo's restaurant, that night, and that had brought a drunken P-chan to Akane's bed.

"That's it! That has to be it. He was saying earlier how much he loves Akane. Not that I could blame him for that, but I would never risk Akane like that!" roared Ryoga, preparing to lunge. Quickly, Cologne got in between them and cut the rope. In one motion she pushed Gosunkugi over to Shampoo and Ukyo, while striking Ryoga hard on the back. As a result, his attack missed, and a large crack appeared on the gym floor around his fist.

"Hey! Why did you interfere?" Ryoga turned around to glare cold, cold daggers at the old woman. His aura flared blood red, and made Ukyo very glad that she was several feet away from him now.

"We need him alive! Now calm yourself, Ryoga," said Cologne, turning back to Ukyo and Shampoo. They were sitting down, with Gosunkugi on the floor between them. Ukyo had her spatula on his legs, her own feet propped on it to weigh him down. Shampoo was holding down his arms with her bonbori. Gosunkugi lay limp, but still conscious; Ukyo registered his expression as having resigned himself to the custody of those around him. _It's about time he realizes who's boss around here,_ she thought bitterly, not feeling his legs try and move at all under even such a small portion of her force.

"Now, Gosunkugi. Tell me - exactly - what you were hoping to accomplish here. Keep in mind you are surrounded by four talented martial artists, though it would only take one of us, half asleep on the worst day of our life, to take you out." Gosunkugi sighed, then turned his head.

"Well, umm, you see...ugh." He stopped for a moment, rubbing his head nervously. "I don't know if you'll understand, but...have you ever...wanted someone? Loved someone? That you...just couldn't have?" Ryoga raised an eyebrow, then turned to Ukyo. She shook her head, looking back to their hostage. _Has he gone mad? What a question to ask a three hundred year old woman with a great-granddaughter. Though, the idea of Cologne in love..._ She looked up a the old woman curiously, wondering if she'd understand. Wanting someone was no excuse for Gosunkugi's actions, but it might soften Cologne's fury. Or make it worse, depending.

"What does...oh. Ohoho, that's an old one. Eighteen-year-old boy in love, is it? Yes...yes I see what has gone on here exactly. So who broke the stage? My son-in-law isn't nearly so clumsy. And what ingredients did you use?" she asked, looking more in her element now that most of the mystery had disappeared for her.

"It was Kuno...he made some of the candles go out, and debris fell on the dolls. I used...cursed black wax, and frog's blood."

"Frog's blood? But surely-" Cologne turned back to the stage, examining it further. After a moment, she turned around, her gaze fixed upon Gosunkugi again.

"You didn't just get frog's blood, young one. You also got human blood. Kuno bled," she said, pointing to the evidence on the wood.

"Kuno bled? But he never bleeds!" exclaimed Ukyo, though her words were not intended to be taken literally.

"Of course he bleed! He human, no?" asked Shampoo, breaking her cool silence for the first time since her arrival. Ukyo scowled at the insinuation of her stupidity.

"Of course he's human. But he never bleeds! Not many people can get close enough."

"Except for my son-in-law...," murmured Cologne. "We need to find the four of them, and reverse the spell. And those dolls should be moved...we'll relocate to the Nekohanten. Shampoo! Grab the dolls, and be careful with them. That much battle aura could lead to trouble."

"Yes Great-grandmother." Shampoo obediently gathered the voodoo dolls, holding them as though they were glass.

"Does this mean you can help Ranma-honey?"

"And Akane?"

Cologne frowned, then looked at Gosunkugi again.

"We just might be able to. And as for you, child...what you call magic, and cursing...you are one hundred years too young to be using such things, especially in the name of love. Don't you dare mix with elements you don't fully comprehend again! The next time, I won't let you off so easily."

"Y-yes...I swear, I won't do it again." Seeing no reason to hold him down any longer, Ukyo got up, resheathing her spatula. Running to Ryoga, she practically pulled him to his feet, then started for the door. She already knew what they had to do; find Ranma and Akane. And if they could, Kuno and Kodachi as well. Just not at the same time, considering the nature of the spell. _No, that wouldn't go over well...Kuno and Kodachi would kill them before we could get them back to the Nekohanten..._

"We'll go look for them, Cologne." Ukyo stopped momentarily to see the old woman nod.

"It shouldn't be hard to coax them into food. But don't force them to be together if they don't want to! The more friction they cause between themselves, the more firmly placed their battle auras will be in the dolls," said Cologne. But the shock of what Cologne had just revealed left Ukyo immobilized. Cologne had been hiding something important from them? Why was she only saying this now? Had it just occurred to her, and now she was telling them as an afterthought? Ranma-honey was in...danger? Graver then she had thought? Her brown eyes hardened, and she felt her hand twitch for her spatula.

"What are you saying? Does that mean they can't fight now? If the battle aura-" Ukyo gasped, her eyes widening as she realized the full extent of the cursing. _They can't fight...they won't be able to defend themselves. They...they can't summon their battle auras!_

"You're a quick one, Ukyo. None of them have any fighting spirit right now; it was all absorbed into the dolls. So they should be putty in the hands of two martial artists like yourselves. But use caution! As of now, I could get them back to normal if we recreate the situation. But if their auras become too firmly in place..." Ukyo narrowed her eyes.

"We'll be at the Nekohanten soon." Without another word, Ukyo and Ryoga were out the door, and the search for the cursed four began.

* * *

><p>Akane Tendo ran up the stairs as best she could. Her short legs screamed for mercy with each step, but she kept going. <em>One more, just one more...and then another...and...<em> Panting, she pushed herself further, bending over and using her hands as though she were climbing a small mountain. Something was sapping her strength, causing her pain she hadn't felt since she was a child. Her head swam with dizziness. It left her feeling as though she had just woken up, and hadn't quite sorted out her location yet.

"Do you see them, Ranma?" she called, looking for her companion. He was at least five steps further then she was; she tried to push herself further, to be equal with him, but it was such a strain her to her muscles that she just gave up and sat down.

"Nope. They're too fast. I can't believe they outran us at the park," gasped Ranma, sitting down himself. The cold air stung at her throat, and she looked towards the horizon, at the sun fighting to rise up and claim the sky. _Something's wrong here...we shouldn't be tired this fast...we..._ Looking down, her eyes widened as she saw how many stairs they had climbed. It couldn't be. They had gone much further than that, worked so much harder then...that.

"R-Ranma!" she cried, pointing.

"Huh? Is it Koda...whoa! But it...that can't be right!" Ranma scuffled back to his feet as though the view would be better from higher up.

"Well it is! We've only gone up eight steps, and we're tired. Us! This is just wrong," said Akane, getting up herself. Panting and fighting off a suddenly worse dizzy spell, she walked up the steps agonizingly to test herself. It pained every muscle in her legs so much that she let out a low groan, then sank back down to the steps.

"Stop forcing yourself, stupid tomboy. You're just gonna get yourself hurt," chastised Ranma, through gasping breaths.

"Stupid? You're the one who lost sight of them and probably took us through a wrong turn."

_He let them get away! Arg. I shouldn't have trusted his judgement._ Fuming, Akane pulled her legs closer to her chest, wincing at the pain she felt. She tried with all her might to ignore the dizziness, the flashing of lights just out of the corners of her vision. It hurt badly, but she was stronger then that. She knew she was.

"You really _are_ hurtin'..." Sounding oddly concerned, Ranma walked down a few steps to be at her level. Once there, he sat, rubbing his legs. Sympathy was spicing his voice, but she ignored it. It wasn't his sympathy she wanted; she wanted Kuno. She wanted him to come back, and say that he was sorry for those odd things he had said to her. Then take her in his arms, so she could finally stop chasing and rest. Oh, to be able to rest in the arms of Tatewaki Kuno...

"It's weird. I wonder what...huh. That's strange." Akane tried to think back to earlier that day, but her memory was fuzzy. Everything before waking up was...blurred. Especially when it involved her beloved Kuno. She wanted to weep, but kept herself strong, not wanting to show even more weakness to the man she was forced to call her fiancé.

"What's strange?"

"I can't seem to remember correctly. Hey, you remember when we woke up, right?" she asked, looking over to him. They had both caught their breath by now, and were talking with greater ease. If they stayed like this long enough, Akane thought they just might be able to get up and chase after Kuno and Kodachi again. _If only my legs would stop throbbing as though I had run to Hokkaido and back..._

"Well, from what I remember...you, me, Kuno, and Kodachi were all sleepin' in the gym...and then Ukyo and Ryoga were there. They were shocked at somethin', and then Kuno and Kodachi left. I still can't believe she ran away from me. Did I do somethin' wrong?" Akane just sighed, having no answer to his question.

_What about me? Did I do something wrong? He...called me...he called me a wench. But I didn't do anything to deserve that...did I?_

A fuzzy feeling passed through her mind, and she suddenly felt incredibly dizzy. Something wasn't right. Something was very, very wrong here, but she couldn't quite figure out what it was.

"A-Akane? Hey, are you alright?" Ranma managed to barely catch her as she began to fall over, then set her straight.

"Why are we so weak? Every time I try to think about it, I get dizzy. Not just a tired sort of dizzy...it doesn't feel natural, somehow. Something is really wrong, here." Her was voice hollow, and like that of a lost little girl. She hated sounding so lost, especially in front of Ranma. Her housemate, her fiancé in name only, and her only obstacle to Kuno. For now, at least.

"Don't worry Akane, I'll figure out something," said Ranma, though his face was turning an odd shade of green as he said it. _Oh dear...for some reason, I...oh..oh, this isn't the first time Ranma has been weak. But...ouch! _She rubbed her temple, feeling a massive headache coming on. _Maybe...if we can get to Dr. Tofu...maybe he can help us.._. Trying to bring up the image of Dr. Tofu proved to be a failure, though; her head was so fuzzy. How far were they from the school now? From his building? Could they make it all the way back there?

"Oh Kuno, where _are_ you? You idiot..." Tears formed in her eyes, and she tried to force them away. Ranma nodded sympathetically.

"I dunno what's wrong with Kodachi, either. She's...she's never run away from me before."

"Well we can't just sit here! We need to...oh no. If we're weak, maybe they're weak too? What if whatever's affecting us is affecting them?" she asked, her eyes as large as dinner plates. She didn't know what she would do if Kuno was hurt. Or in trouble. Or...worse. She didn't want to think of what worse could be defined as.

"And that's why they ran! Kodachi didn't wanna embarrass herself by letting me see her like that. Feh, she should know better."

"It makes sense, though. We have to find them, Ranma. Before something happens to them." She forced herself to stand bravely on her shaky legs. Not one to be outdone, Ranma stood up as well, looking up to the top of the stairs. They both stared up for a long time, then slowly turned and started to walk downstairs.

* * *

><p>Around the corner of an office building, two figures crouched around a small telephone booth. The male figure, Tatewaki Kuno, held the receiver of a phone in one hand, clearly waiting for someone to answer at the other end of the line. The girl, Kodachi Kuno, pressed herself against the grey stone of the building as though she didn't want to be seen. They were both sweating profusely and panting, Kodachi scanning the area wildly every few seconds as though expecting someone to jump out at them.<p>

"Sasuke! Sasuke, thank god, you have got to help us! Something has gone terribly wrong. Kodachi and I are weak. Something has sapped us of our strength! Oh, bitter fate...What? What date? Hold on." Kuno covered the bottom part of the phone with one hand then looked to his sister. His manservant had said something rather odd, just now. He had been tempted to refute it immediately, but Sasuke was a smart man. Surely, he wouldn't have said what he had just said without just reason? Giving him the benefit of the doubt, he looked at his poor, distraught sister, and tried to keep his expression soothing.

"Did you have a date last night?" Kodachi shook her head, looking distressed. Just as he had thought.

"A date? Me? Of course not!" she cried, insulted. Kuno nodded, then moved his hand from the speaker so he could refute Sasuke's wild claims with a clear conscious. Of course the man had been wrong! What had he been thinking, to ask his poor sister such a question? He blamed his lapse in judgement on the sudden dizzy spell that had claimed his mind, and fought to not let Kodachi see it in his face.

"Of course she didn't have a date, Sasuke! Besides, she goes to an all girls school. She doesn't know any boys. No. No. What are you talking about, Sasuke? I think you've been into my father's sake again! Am I right? How _dare_ you suggest I have a desire for that wench, Akane Tendo! No, I will not calm down. Now come here immediately and save us! What? Yes, I'm sure I'm still weak. No, I don't know how long it will last! Just get here," said Kuno peevishly, hanging up the phone after stating the address.

"Is he coming for us?"

"Fear not, my twisted sister. Although it does seem that my loyal Sasuke has been into the drink again. I won't foul your tender ears by saying what he thought you were doing with Ranma Saotome!" Kuno shook with revulsion.

"What? He thought I was doing something with that...that...pervert?" Kuno nodded solemnly, then frowned.

"I will not let him touch you, sister. This is an odd situation, here. I do not understand why we are suddenly weaker. I should have been able to run at least most of the way home."

"Most of the way? Ha! I could run the whole way from here!"

"Oho? Shall we race?"

"A race it is, big brother!"

Then they were off, running as fast as their tired, overworked legs could go. Sasuke found them fifteen minutes later, passed out a block away from where Kuno had said they'd be. Quickly, he had loaded them into the Kuno family limousine, and drove them home.

* * *

><p>"Ukyo, this is crazy. We can't just wander all over Nerima looking for them," said Ryoga, following Ukyo down yet another road. When they turned, they both scanned up and down for Ranma and Akane, though Ryoga suspected Ukyo shared his lack of optimism at actually just seeing them. Yet Ukyo kept on forward, tugging Ryoga after her. This had been going on for quite some time now. He liked to think that his guide knew what she was doing, and that her actions made sense, but it was frustrating all the same. Plus he didn't like how quick she was to grab onto his shirt and tug, as though he were a small child. He almost expected her to produce a leash and collar him.<p>

"And you can stop tugging on me, I'll go on my own." Ryoga tried to push her hand away, but she had a surprisingly good grip. Ukyo glared at him a moment, then softened her expression.

"Fine, fine. Don't get lost on me, though. Unless of course you can manage to keep yourself lost within Nerima, find Ranma-honey and Akane and, if we're lucky, Kuno and Kodachi, and convince them to lead you back to the Nekohanten?" Ukyo looked up at him with an expression that was both hopeful and mocking. Sighing, Ryoga frowned, but kept himself close to her.

"Point taken long, long ago, Ukyo," he said tiredly, realizing he hadn't had his coffee yet. He always had his coffee. Whether he was in Hokkaido, Osaka, Nerima, greater Tokyo, China, anywhere and everywhere, Ryoga started his day with coffee. But today, he had been moving too fast to think about it. His stomach gurgled, as though just realizing this fact as well. _But...I don't have time for that...I have to find Akane! She's out there, somewhere...and not as strong as she used to be._

"Did I just hear your stomach growling?"

"You did. I haven't had anything to eat yet today. Isn't yours growling, too?"

"No...I ate while we waited for you to wake up," said Ukyo, guiltily.

"Feh. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

"If you say so, sugar."

Students were slowly populating the streets now, joining the adults that were on their way to work, and the occasional early morning jogger. Ryoga and Ukyo blended in perfectly; both looked quite tired, though determined to get to where they were going. Even if they passed out from exhaustion and lack of food on the way there. _At least SHE wouldn't pass out from lack of food...and dammit, I don't think I even have anything in my pack._

"Hey...hey, Ryoga? Are you sure you're okay?" asked Ukyo, stopping him for a moment to give him a concerned look. "You're not going to be of any help to me on only half power, you know."

"I could use some food...but I shouldn't be thinking of myself right now. Akane's out there somewhere, weak, and maybe even alone. What if she's hurt? What if she's been kidnaped? What if _she_ hasn't had anything to eat yet either?" He had only been half serious about the last one, but it was a problem all the same. Not having her battle aura was one thing; it just meant she was at the strength of an average human. But running around, stubbornly following Kuno and Kodachi as he expected she would, without food? She had to be exhausted by now. Ukyo blinked twice, then appeared lost in thought.

"They probably ARE hungry...and they wouldn't go home, in their weak state. Ranma's too proud to let his parents and the other Tendos see him weak." Rubbing her chin, Ukyo glanced from one end of the street to the other.

"Hey, you don't think..."

"Oh, I do. I do indeed. But...Ranma-honey promised not to come near me until I said it was okay. Unless the curse has affected his memories?"

"It's worth a shot. And if they aren't there...then we'll just keep looking. I will not give up until we've found Akane, and rid her of this curse," vowed Ryoga, suddenly consumed with the urge to run back to the gym and take out his frustrations on Gosunkugi.

"And Ranma and the others too, of course, right?" Ukyo smirked.

"Of course. Isn't that part understood?"

"From now on, sugar, it is. Let's go."

They took off in a sprint, heading through what seemed like a maze, until they finally got to a street Ryoga thought he recognized. He didn't dare stray from Ukyo, though, and instead kept in stride with her. She was a pretty fast runner, for someone shorter then him, and he didn't have to keep himself in check much to keep stride with her. Adrenaline flowing through his veins, they ran down the street that Ukyo lived on, and stopped when they got to her Okonomiyaki restaurant. To their surprise, Konatsu was waiting for them at the front door, his expression troubled.

"Miss Ukyo! I was hoping you'd come back soon." He walked up to them, then lowered his voice. "Ranma and Akane are here, but they don't look okay. They asked where you were, and I said you were called in the night to the Tendo house. I tried to tell them they should go there, but they...they said they were too tired! I'm worried. Aren't they two of the best martial artists around? What happened last night to make them so tired, even now?" Konatsu shook his head, clearly nervous at the thought something so strong that it could exhaust both Ranma and Akane. Clearing his throat, Ryoga pushed open the door to Ucchan's.

"Umm...it's a really, really long story, Konatsu. I'll tell you later. For now, please, stand guard here and don't let anybody in." She started to walk inside, then stopped. "Oh, but if you see a guy in kendo gear with a wooden sword, and a girl in a leotard with long black hair in a side ponytail, stop them and let me know immediately, okay?"

"Wha-what? Okay. Right, questions later. You can count on me, Ukyo," he said, standing straight and looking to either side of the street. Ryoga pulled her into the restaurant when she was done, his satisfaction at being able to pull Ukyo instead of the other way around melting at the sight of Akane, sitting on a chair at a table.

His head swam with conflicting emotions; love and pain, bliss and depression, desire and repulsion. Somehow he pushed the emotions aside, and let himself bask in the glow that was Akane Tendo. His heart fluttered, panicking.

"Akane! Are you okay?" rushing straight to her, he almost knocked over Ranma in the process, who was sitting at the table as well. Akane looked positively exhausted. Her eyes were closed, her face pale, her limbs limp and no doubt as worn out as her face looked. Upon hearing her name, she opened an eye weakly.

"Ry-Ryoga? Is that you?" One lazy eye opened, and she tried to sit up straighter.

"Yeah, it's me, Akane. I'm here." Akane smiled, but it was a sad smile that made his face fall.

"Okay, Ranma, I admit it. You were right. They came." Finally noticing Ranma, he watched as his rival lifted an arm, twirled a finger around in mock victory, then rested his hand back on the table with a mild *thump*.

"Hey, Ucchan? I know it's early and all, but since you're up anyway...can we have some food?" Ryoga noticed that Ukyo had come in right beside him, and was looking rather perturbed at Ryoga right now. Inexplicably perturbed. He would have thought she'd be tending to Ranma, as he was to Akane.

_What's she so mad about...oh._ Looking down, he saw that he was still holding onto her arm. In his excitement to get to Akane, he hadn't actually released Ukyo, and had dragged her to the table with him. Sheepishly, he let go of her arm, blushing slightly. Ukyo shook her head, but her expression was forgiving enough.

"Sure, Ranma-honey, just sit tight okay?" said Ukyo, leaping for the grill, "You sit down too Ryoga. I'll be there in a minute." Obediently, Ryoga began to pull out a chair, then flushed, noticing it was the closest to Akane. Moving to the other one, he found that it made him sit across from her, but rather then go back he pulled it out and sat down in it. Innocently, he put his hands on the table, twiddling his fingers. Akane looked so beautiful, sitting there, despite her being weak. He had seen the dress she was wearing earlier, but he had been so shocked that the memory hadn't really stayed with him. Now, though...he fought a blush, looking at the way the delicate silk fabric hugged her body, and accentuated it. Her legs, with those high socks innocently showing off her toned leg muscles, hinted at the nudity of...

Ryoga looked away quickly, feeling a severe nosebleed coming on. Instead he focused his gaze on Ranma, who was looking at him as though he could barely keep his eyes open. The pigtailed boy was dressed nicely as well, though his posture suggested he could still move as easily in these clothes as in anything else. If he had the aura to fight, that is. Sapphire eyes looked at him tiredly, as though through a thick mist. Akane's beauty near forgotten, he found himself feeling sorry for such a weak looking Ranma. _We've got to help them...we've just got to..._

"Ryoga..." Ranma stopped to let out a large yawn, and stretch. "Ow." He said, rubbing his shoulder.

"Don't push yourself, Ranma. I know you're both weak right now." Ranma looked surprised, and Akane lifted her head in interest.

"You know? So you can tell us what happened?"

"Of course! Uhh...what do you guys remember?" The spell came over him once more as he gazed at her, but he fought to keep his composure. For her sake.

"Waking up. Kodachi and Kuno running. Us giving chase. Them giving us the slip," said Ranma dully.

"That's the condensed, Ranma Saotome special version, anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Immediately, Ranma and Akane each put their hands to their heads, as though dizzy. Worried, Ryoga frowned, then remembered what Cologne had said about friction.

"Whoa, wait. No fighting. You both need to calm down, or you'll drain your battle auras."

"We'll what? Ow!" they both said at the same time. Sighing, Ryoga put his hands firmly on the table, and began the explanation.

Ten minutes later, all four of them were sitting around the table, finishing off the last of the Okonomiyaki and drinking some of Ryoga's extra strong coffee. Akane and Ranma had regained a lot of strength, but still looked weak compared to what they had been. If Ryoga had to guess, he'd say they were down to Nabiki's level of strength, maybe even Kasumi. Though he felt sad at the prospect, he was happy that they were still okay, and that there was a possibility of getting them back to normal.

"Okay...so...you're saying that we asked Gosunkugi to put a curse on Kuno and Kodachi, so they wouldn't like us, but really Gosunkugi was in love with Akane, and wanted to make us hate each other? So we lured Kuno and Kodachi to the gym? But we fought, and Kuno ran into the stage, messed up the curse, and now all of our battle auras are enclosed in little voodoo dolls in the Nekohanten, with Shampoo and the old Ghoul?" asked Ranma.

"Err. Yeah. Yes, that's it," said Ryoga, not seeing any holes in it.

"But that doesn't make any sense." Akane looked as though she were struggling to keep her temper in check.

"Yeah! Why would we want Kuno and Kodachi to hate us? Though I bet Kuno already hates Akane, with the way she's always trying to make 'im eat her cooking," said Ranma, sticking his tongue out at his fiancee.

"Why you! Moron! Kuno loves my cooking." She sniffed, then looked away. Ryoga and Ukyo exchanged nervous glances, but didn't comment. They had already decided, while in the kitchen making coffee, that they would not bring up the fact that it was all a part of the curse. It was pointless. They were under a curse, and they wouldn't believe otherwise. But that didn't make it any less maddening to watch.

"Looks like the curse didn't affect how Ranma and Akane act towards each other. Much," muttered Ukyo, taking a swig of her coffee.

"This is serious, Ukyo, it's no time to be making jokes." Ukyo shrugged, then went back to picking at her okonomiyaki.

"Something else doesn't make sense, either. Why was Gosunkugi wanting to separate me and Ranma? Sure, we're engaged, but just as soon as I can get Kuno to propose to me properly, I'm sure my dad will see the light and allow Kuno to be the heir to the Tendo dojo," said Akane, her brow creased.

_...I did not just hear that. I did not just hear that. I did not just hear that. I did not just hear that. I did not..._ Ryoga shook his head, trying not to stare in bewilderment at Akane.

"Well...Gosunkugi has the idea that you and Ranma love each other," said Ukyo, in a low voice.

"What? But...we'll practically be brother and sister, once we're both wed! That's just...that's just...ew."

"Who would wanna marry this uncute tomboy anyway? Except maybe Kuno. Maybe," said Ranma, who earned himself a glare. Akane raised her hand to hit him, then seemed to remember about the curse, and lowered her hand. Ranma, pleased with himself, smirked as though he had just scored a point.

_I could really go for a good Shi Shi Hokodan, right about now._

"Okay, look. We're all done and caught up, and we have work to do. To remove the curse, we need to find Kuno and Kodachi, and take them back to the Nekohanten. The Old Ghoul thinks she can solve this, but we need all four of you there. Pronto," said Ukyo, standing up. "The two of you can make it to the Nekohanten, right?"

"Of course. We were just tired from running so much...I think we covered a quarter of Nerima, just tryin' to get them to slow down," complained Ranma, standing up as well. Ryoga watched him, noting that he seemed to be able to balance himself well enough.

"Good. We'll take the two of you to the Nekohanten first. Then me, Ryoga, and maybe Shampoo and Mousse if they're up to it, will go looking for the Kunos."

"What? But I want to look for them too!" said Akane. _Hoo boy, I figured one of them would protest._

"Yeah, what if Kodachi is hurt? Or in trouble?"

Ukyo sighed, then drew a deep breath.

"The curse, Ranma. Whatever they felt for you before, right now they hate you, and are maybe even scared of you. It's best if they don't see you until they have to."

"Oh...r-right," said Ranma, looking sour. Akane nodded, looking equally peeved at the situation, but didn't pursue.

"So, if we're done with the discussions...?" asked Ukyo.

"We're done. Let's go," said Ranma, hitting the table with all his strength. Ryoga winced when it resulted in only a couple of cups shaking briefly, and Ranma holding his hand as though hurt.

* * *

><p>After giving careful instructions to Konatsu, just in case he spotted the Kunos, Ukyo had set the pace to the Nekohanten. Although Ranma and Akane seemed more at ease physically, they didn't want to go any quicker then a fast walk. She was walking a few paces behind them, watching them talk quietly except for the occasional raised voice, followed by a quick recovery.<p>

It had been hard to listen to them. So hard, beyond anything she had imagined. She always thought herself to be a firm woman, in control of herself and of her emotions, but this scenario had proved her wrong. Now she knew, more then ever, why she had requested that time away from her friend. Why she had sensed in her gut that she wasn't ready to see him yet. Because she just wasn't. She had no idea how long she needed, but now was not a good time. Especially not with him under a curse, and pining away after Kodachi. Giving him up for Akane hurt like a jagged knife, but losing to a curse...to Kodachi...it was more then Ukyo could bear. More then once during the explanation in the restaurant, she had wanted to flee up to her room and cry like a baby. Worse, more then once she had also wanted to hold Ranma in her arms, and assure him that everything would be alright. That she and Ryoga would take care of it, and them, and hope that maybe...just maybe...after this was all over, he'd see the error of his ways and come back to her.

It had been far too soon for her to see Ranma again, and interact with him. Weeks to soon. Months too soon, probably. Feeling confused, she made herself stop looking at Ranma's back, and averted her gaze to Ryoga, her second shadow as of late.

Ryoga, his head down, looked sullen as usual. He was walking beside her, kicking the odd rock and taking care to aim them away from the two in front of them. She felt just as miserable as he looked, but tried to keep a strong posture. _If I crumble, it's not going to help anybody. I need to stay strong,_ she thought firmly. Ukyo desperately wanted to be the strong one again, in control of her emotions. If she didn't look at Ranma for a while, she just might be able to pull it off, too. If she only tried hard enough, she could do it.

Wanting further distraction, she decided to start a conversation with Ryoga. They had things to discuss, anyway. If they were discreet enough, Ranma and Akane were too self-absorbed to hear them, so now was probably the best time.

"Their memories don't seem to be working right, in regards to us," whispered Ukyo, too low for Ranma and Akane to hear.

"Maybe it causes too much pain. Akane said something about her mind being fuzzy when she tried to bring up details, remember?"

"Good point. Ugh. This is such an awful position...so close, and yet so, so far away." Mimicking Ryoga, she gave a rock a good kick. It bounced nicely off the wall to the left of them, but didn't do much for her mood.

"Shouldn't Ranma be able to remember Akane's talk with you, though? And Akane, mine and Ranma's? It doesn't make sense."

"They're a couple, Ukyo. Despite the curse...maybe there's still a bond between them, deep down. For a normal couple, one person's pain is pain for both, right?"

"Something like that, I guess. I wouldn't know," she said bitterly. Chasing after Ranma for so many years...she had never been in a relationship. Never been in love, except for Ranma. Yes, it had always been about Ranma-honey, ever since she was ten. She had stayed loyal, even as she resented him for abandoning her. She had never wanted another, and then when she had seen him again, and he called her cute...all the feelings had come back. In the past two years, she had remained fiercely loyal to Ranma. Despite the odds. Here she always thought herself a strong person, for having such determination to remain true to one person. Everything she had ever worked for was thrown back in her face with staggering force.

"Yeah. Neither would I..." Ryoga's low voice came to her as though through a fog, and she noticed him looking up at Akane, then quickly look away. "My pain was never her pain."

"Maybe it's something else," said Ukyo, watching as the two seemed to be fighting now. Fighting carefully, at least. "Maybe they remember, but don't think it's important. They know they're engaged, but don't want to be. Could be that they thought breaking off things with you and me was just a part of the process, and not something they really wanted to do. Sort of...going through the motions."

"It's possible...I wonder if the old Ghoul found out anything."

"Hopefully." She was very, very hungry for answers.

When they got to the Nekohanten, Shampoo and Cologne were in the back room, the old Ghoul examining the dolls while Shampoo appeared to be struggling with something. She didn't precisely leap at Ranma, as per usual. Instead, she'd look at Ranma longingly, then look back to Cologne, then to Ranma. Ukyo smiled inwardly as she realized that Cologne had most likely told her to avoid physical contact with her 'airen'; one of Shampoo's tackle hugs could seriously hurt him, as well as affect his still trapped battle aura.

"Ranma okay, yes?" Shampoo tilted her head, concerned.

"For the third time, Shampoo, yes. I ain't sick or nothin', just a little...weak," he said, looking away from her.

"Has there been any change in strength from when you got up, son-in-law?" Her eyes were narrowed, scrutinizing him as though he were a specimen in a jar.

"I don't think so. We ran around, got tired, and then after we rested and ate, I felt better again. Not one hundred percent, but okay."

"I see. And you, Akane?"

"The same."

"Hmm...as long as you both stay here, and stay calm, you should be fine. For now." The air became heavier as she turned casually back to the dolls.

"For now?" asked Akane, rubbing her forehead. Cologne frowned, then looked at the five young people around her. Despite their no doubt different thoughts and feelings on the matter, Ukyo felt as though it were all of them against Cologne. As though she was the only one who knew what was going on, while the rest fought to catch up and understand.

Cologne closed her eyes, then nodded.

"I can explain, but first I need to make sure you both can remain calm. What you will hear will no doubt surprise you, and upset you, and you will get angry. Suppress that! These dolls feed on anger; don't give them fuel."

"R-right," said Akane, straightening her back. A look of determination was barely fixed on her face.

"No problem," echoed Ranma, looking equally determined. Cologne then picked up the dolls, setting them carefully on the table in front of the two. Each doll glowed brightly, the colours flickering from shade to shade randomly. The ones marked Ranma and Akane stayed cooler shades of blue, purple, and green, but the other two flashed around madly, sometimes green, sometimes pink, sometimes orange. Ukyo took another step forward, watching the dolls intently. The auras around the Kunos were weaker then those of Ranma and Akane; they would have to find the Kunos soon.

"I'm sure you can identify which one each of you is, and what the colours mean. That's all basic to virtually any martial artist," she said, pointing to the Kunos with her cane. "It is fortunate that we found you two. However, the others...they do not realize their peril."

"Is Kuno alright?" Akane's eyes didn't leave the dolls for a moment.

"For now, he is. I'd give them another day, maybe two, at this rate." But Cologne's voice was not entirely confident. "Your classmate...Gosunkugi...he had no idea what he was dealing with, however well or unwell he meant. The curse he used was something that hasn't been done in Japan for centuries, ever since it was first created. I don't know how he came about it. It wasn't sealed away, as it should have been."

"Why was it created? For battle?" asked Ranma, tearing his eyes away from Kodachi's aura. Obviously with great effort. Ukyo forced herself to look away from him, and instead focused on sharpening one of her throwing spatulas.

"That is correct, son-in-law. Taking away an opponent's battle aura is a very effective way to win...and dirty. However, Gosunkugi wasn't trying to take away auras; he was trying to reverse emotions. Little did he know how deeply the two are connected." Cologne shook her head, then continued. "When it was first used, the side effect of reversing emotions was discovered. By concentrating ki in a certain way, the caster of the curse could selectively manipulate the spirit and emotions of the victims. But they had to be fighting, and had to be marked. Also...there had to be human blood. Kuno's served well for this."

"Kuno..."

Ukyo saw a movement out of the corner of her eye, and watched as Ryoga bawled up his fists, then released, repeating over and over again. On the other side of the room, Shampoo was watching quietly, her large purple eyes only seeing Ranma. Ukyo tried to keep her face plain, hoping her misery was not so obvious as the others. She seriously doubted that she was hiding her emotions well, though.

"Gosunkugi made a fatal mistake, without even knowing. Only someone who has great control of his ki can really handle the spell. It appears as though he was not even aware of what he was doing, as the spell took an...unplanned turn." As she spoke, Cologne glanced from Ranma to Akane, looking thoughtful.

"I can give you both your auras now; it would take perhaps a half hour, perhaps more. But first we'd need to backtrack. Your auras are, I'm sorry to say, quite comfortable where they are for the time being. You need to claim them." Immediately, Ranma's aura flashed a bright red, and Akane's a deep orange, as Cologne's eyes went wide at their misinterpretation of her words.

"No, no, stop! Not like that." The colours remained for a few seconds, then settled back down to blues and greens. "Where is your discipline? Hmm? But you seem to have regained control."

"Sorry," said Akane, and Ranma nodded, looking annoyed with himself.

"I was worried this would happened, or I would have tried it the second I laid eyes on you two. I may have to put you both to sleep to get you to relax, but we don't have time for that," she said hurriedly, looking over her shoulder at Ryoga and Ukyo.

"You two! Go out and search for Kuno and Kodachi. Do your best to get them back here, and whatever you do, don't mention Akane and Ranma. Try and bring them back peacefully."

"Right," replied Ukyo and Ryoga, though lacking enthusiasm.

"Shampoo, I need you to go wake up Mousse, and explain to him what has happened. Then you two will also go out in search as well."

"Why Shampoo have go with Mousse?" Irritation was heavy in Shampoo's voice.

"Are you disobeying me, Great-granddaughter?" asked Cologne, surprised. Shampoo looked as though she would protest again, but instead firmed her face, and walked out of the room.

"Shampoo obey," she said angrily from the hallway, then they heard footsteps running upstairs. After one last, long look at Ranma, Ukyo frowned, then looked at Ryoga. He was still staring at Akane, his face slightly flushed.

"Ryoga..."

"I know. Let's go."

"Come back here in three hours if you cannot find them. Be swift!" Not having to be told twice, Ryoga and Ukyo ran out the door, closing it tightly behind them. The sun was now quite high in the sky as they headed out once again, to search.

* * *

><p>Gosunkugi was still laying on the gym floor, staring up at the ceiling. His eyes weren't focused on anything; his vision blurred, forming shapes that looked like creatures moving underwater. Blinking didn't get rid of them, and focusing only made him more tired. He had wanted to get up, to at least go home and crawl into bed, but couldn't muster up the strength. Besides, he had been out all night; if his father was still home, no doubt he'd be very cross with him. He definitely didn't have the energy to deal with any more angry people.<p>

"I should really get up...if the gym teacher finds me here, he'll probably blame me for the damage to the stage." He didn't manage to convince himself enough to actually get up, though. Being on the floor felt almost comforting; solid, polished wood, cool against his pale skin even through his clothes.

_I was so close this time...I almost had them...but I've only hurt Akane,_ he thought bitterly, clenching a fist. That was the last thing he had wanted to do. Now all four of them were out somewhere, their powers drained, and their heads a mess of mixed emotions and dulled memories.

He had not told them about the memory part; it had been intended for Ranma, as a last minute piece of revenge, and for Kuno. The girls he had no quarrel with. That curse he had added was specifically designed to cause all long term memories of happiness, and pain, to fade. Eventually, it would have turned them into lazy, unmotivated slouches, without a will to live because all their memories were so dull. They would not be able to make new ones, not for keeps. They would fade away quickly, as a short term memory.

Gosunkugi shivered again, at the memory of reading that part. It was such a fitting piece, to make their lives as horrible and eventless as his own. But now he realized what he had done wrong. He hadn't noticed right away, but after Kuno had crashed into the stage, tiny slivers of wood had imbedded themselves into the dolls of Akane and Kodachi, as well as joining the ones already in the others. Uncursed wood. It would probably be unnoticed by the old woman, or anyone else who had not seen the dolls carefully first. He had been tempted to tell them about it, and how he thought it might interfere with the curse, but he had been afraid. Very, very afraid. He shivered at the memory; his life in the hands of that brute, and the two girls, not to mention the old woman. He had been terrified of her the most. So terrified he couldn't even open his damned mouth to help.

"Idiot...stupid stupid stupid idiot...," he muttered, shaking his head slowly. His vision still blurred, and he felt his neck ache from the movement. _I've got to tell them...Akane could get hurt,_ he thought. He tried to conjure her face, to motivate him, but it was quickly replaced by Ranma's face. Threatening, mocking, dominating Ranma. He shivered again, realizing just how alone and unsafe he was now. Sweat dripped down his forehead, trickling into his ears.

A noise from outside the gym door made his skin crawl, and finally he made himself get up, scared of what it may be. Quickly heading for the side entrance, he ran out into the sunlight, blinding himself at the sudden light.

"Ugh..." Quickly, he sat on the ground beside the building. He didn't think he had been seen, at least, but he made himself get up anyway and run to the school gate. The first bell had rung already, as well as the second; a class change was due to happen soon. Panting, he made himself run off school property, feeling his legs jerk and spasm from the effort. When he was far enough away, he stopped, looking back at the school thoughtfully. His head pounded, and he could practically hear his own blood racing through his veins. No one had seen him. No one was around. No one...cared.

Sighing, he made himself turn away from the school. He wasn't sure where he was going just yet, but he had to think. To clear his head. One leg went in front of the other easily, though slowly. His eyes focused on the ground.

_What have I done..._

_What...have...I...done..._

* * *

><p>Ranma sat stiffly on the thin blue mat, trying to concentrate. His mind felt like a haze, like a substance-less cloud. Keeping his anger in check was hard enough to do, without the images and senseless memories floating around in his head. Images of Kodachi, faded; Ukyo, fading. Ryoga, Shampoo, fading, fading. He could only hold onto those of Akane and the Old Ghoul because he was in the same room as them. He didn't want to know what would happen if he was left alone for too long, with these memories. They were suffocating him, teasing him, taunting him in their incompleteness. It made him angry, and confused.<p>

"Son-in-law? Son-in-law! You don't look like you're relaxing, to me."

Despite what she had said earlier about avoiding fights, she was certainly being snippy with them. _Maybe she's trying to scare us, so we won't get angry. That might work on Akane, but she should know better then to try that crap with me..._

"Relax? How the heck am I s'posed to relax? You told me to think of happy memories, to go to a peaceful place, but I can't find any," he exclaimed, watching in horror as his aura flashed bright red.

"Ranma, no!" cried Akane, whose aura flashed as well. Struggling, Ranma bit his tongue, the pain distracting him enough to calm down. Akane's aura soon turned blue as well, and she looked down, worried.

"What are you saying, son-in-law? Surely you have happy memories." Ranma fought against the sea of images again, but still came up nothing. Frustrated, he looked up, his eyes as dull as he could get them.

"I can't find 'em. All I see is a bunch of...of images. Nothin' concrete. I can't even remember people's faces anymore." His voice was almost as small as a child's. It was bad enough that he was physically weak, now. He hated being weak. Loathed it, beyond anything imaginable. But with a solution dangling in front of his nose, first provided by Ukyo in her restaurant, his spirit had come back to him. In short, uncontrolled bursts, but it was still there. But now, with these odd images stopping up his mind, and his inability to concentrate, he didn't know what was going on. Nothing seemed to be going correctly; the curse was a step ahead of them, a step ahead of what even the old woman seemed to know.

"Me too. There's nothing there. I...I can't grasp at anything. I tried, but I just...can't," said Akane, her face mirroring Ranma's own fears. He quickly turned away from her, looking back to the old woman. Looking at Akane made his head hurt. He couldn't figure out why, but...something about her eyes, her face...memories of her made him dizzy and fogged his mind.

Expecting Cologne to snap at them again, she instead looked down, eyes just as confused as his. _Something's wrong here...she looks...worried._

"The curse shouldn't affect your memories..." Her muttering was barely audible as she glanced at the dolls once more. Looking at them closely, she squinted, then pulled back. "Unless..."

"Unless?" asked Ranma, impatiently.

"Unless there was more then one curse involved. We can't continue now, not like this! You should have told me from the start. Though maybe it was a gradual change." Once more her attention went back to the dolls, which glowed silently in the dim light of the room.

"I didn't notice, until you had us try just now. It makes sense, though. Ukyo and Ryoga...they're our friends, but they were treating us as though they expected us to lash out at them. I thought at first that they were just scared to hurt us, but now...," said Akane sadly. It took Ranma a moment to register the name Ryoga, and he wondered if Akane was able to retain memories better then him. _Maybe it's all in how we remember...it hurts me to think of them...but it doesn't hurt her so much...why?..._

"When I get my hands on that stupid curse-boy, I swear I'll...," said Ranma, amazed at himself for being able to say that without his anger flaring again. _Gosunkugi...all his fault...he started this all...he caused this pain..._ He tried to pull up a mental image of his classmate, but only a blurred image came to mind, making him dizzy. "What now? If you can't undo the curse, what can we do?"

"We need Gosunkugi again. He has the best knowledge of what happened there; he caused it." As she spoke, Cologne looked towards the door that the others had left through earlier, as though willing that he would enter it right then. After a moment, she did look away, then fixed both him and Akane a level gaze.

"Try to stay calm. You two should be alright, provided you keep yourselves passive. Shampoo will no doubt return soon, or perhaps send Mousse. I don't like the tone she took with me, before she left." The last part more to herself then to them. Akane and Ranma exchanged glances briefly, then looked back over at the dolls.

"Maybe he did a modified curse. Dangerous as that sounds, he's young enough, and when love is at stake..."

"Love?" asked Akane, tilting her head. Ranma's head swam at the way Akane said it.

_Love...love...I love...Kodachi?...no...yes...Kodachi..._

Determined, Ranma took a quick glance at the state of his aura, then tried to call up an image of Kodachi. Yes, there she was...tall and slim, and beautiful, her hair piled on one side of her head. Why did it make him dizzy to think of her? Why was her image fuzzy, as though he was looking through a fogged window? _Kodachi...Kodachi...gotta find her, before I forget too much..._

"Yes, love. It turns everyone into unthinking idiots. I think that was demonstrated well enough, don't you?" Neither had a proper reply to that, so they stayed silent, avoiding the eyes of their superior.

"No matter. We can do this without memories; I will teach you an ancient Chinese technique, for your stamina and concentration. Get into comfortable positions, both of you. Good. Now, close your eyes, and listen only to me..."

* * *

><p>A small, mismatched crowd of people walked down the sidewalk, expressions and demeanor changing from one to the next. At the back was a pretty girl in a blue schoolboy's outfit, her long brown hair tamed by a white hairband. Beside her walked a boy of roughly the same age, wearing yellow and black clothing and carrying a pack. They looked accomplished, yet at the same time still grim, as though they knew their mission would not turn out as wonderfully as they wanted. In front of them walked a girl wearing a plain blue kimono, her dark hair combed and styled to one side of her head; occasionally she turned back to look at the boy, then blushed, and turned back to face front. In front of her walked a shorter girl with brown hair wearing white pants and a pink shirt, calmly talking to a taller boy beside her who gestured elaborately as he spoke. He wore a plain blue jacket and black pants, suitable for fighting in. At his waist swung a wooden sword in its holster, unused and unnecessary for the time being.<p>

They were, of course, Ryoga and Ukyo, with Kodachi walking in front of them, and Nabiki and Kuno in the lead. It had been Ukyo's idea to fetch Nabiki and convince her to help. At first she had refused; they had outright told her to help them find Kuno, without giving her much of the story. However, after explaining the incident, Nabiki's concern for her sister kicked in. Reluctantly, she agreed to go, making them promise to protect her if any fighting started up in the process. Ryoga had been surprised she felt the need to ask; wasn't it the duty of all martial artists to protect the weak? But she seemed unconcerned now, chatting up Kuno as though they were old friends.

"Ukyo, this...place we're going to. Isn't it run by that Amazonian girl? The one who can't speak Japanese properly?" asked Kodachi, looking over her shoulder at Ukyo. She didn't address Ryoga directly; at least, not like that. She seemed shy almost. He hadn't known Kodachi very well, but shy was the last thing he'd expect her to be.

"The Nekohanten, yes. But it can't be helped; you do want your strength back, don't you?" They had not even mentioned Akane or Ranma to either of them, and thankfully neither of the Kunos had thought to ask. Nabiki had done most of the talking at the Kuno house, and the two had vaguely remembered Ukyo and Ryoga being present when they had woken up. It was enough to convince them to come along with them, and trust them. For now.

"And you're sure she won't attack us before her great-grandmother gets a chance to help? She's so...vulgar. And primitive."

"Now, sister dear, is that the way to talk about someone who is going to help us?" Kodachi sniffed, but didn't reply.

_Heh. Shampoo may not be nicest girl around, or even sympathetic, but I wouldn't call her primitive. It's not her fault she hasn't learned Japanese yet,_ thought Ryoga, though not voicing his thoughts.

They arrived at the café soon after, and ignored the 'Closed' sign on the door. After having a short conversation with him, Ukyo dashed off to speak to Cologne, leaving the rest of them to sit at the tables under Ryoga's guard. It was a very uncomfortable ten minutes before she came back, her face pale and hands clenched nervously at her sides.

"Ukyo?" he asked, getting up. Kodachi and Nabiki also looked momentarily alarmed, but Ryoga motioned for them to mind their own business as he walked up to her. Pulling him gently into the kitchen, she shut the door, then looked him squarely in the eyes.

"Something's gone wrong, Ryoga. She wasn't able to give them back their auras yet." Ryoga's eyes went wide. _I knew it...this was all too easy...all too good to be true._ He resisted the urge to do property damage to the Nekohanten kitchen and instead put his frustration to voice.

"What?!"

Ukyo shot him a wild look. _Oh...oh right. The Kunos. Arg, but this is so hard...I need to...hit something, release... oh, Akane!..._

"Sorry, sorry. What happened? What's gone wrong?"

"Hey, everything okay in there?" asked a female voice, knocking on the door. It was Nabiki. Ryoga was unsure if they should involve her or not, but decided it would be best first for him to know.

"Everything's fine, Nabiki. You shouldn't leave the others alone." He tensed uncertainly, then relaxed when he heard footsteps walking way from the door. Sighing, he scratched the back of his head, then looked over at Ukyo. She still looked pale, and very put out from whatever it was that she had heard.

"She thinks that Gosunkugi did a modified curse. Something happened to their memories; they say they're fuzzy, they can only remember vague events. Akane said something quite disturbing about not being able to recall any happy moments in her life. Or painful, for that matter. They said it's...it's like a haze."

"That...that jerk! I should've beaten the little punk when I had the chance. I knew he was trouble. I just knew it. Loving Akane, my foot! He just put her in danger." Nodding sympathetically, Ukyo reached out a hand to touch his shoulder, then drew back. Ryoga barely noticed the touch, he was so upset. He was so used to Ukyo tugging at him all the time anyway, he would have brushed it off as her trying to get him to do something for her, if he had noticed.

"No no, it's a very good thing that you didn't beat on him. Because we need him, now. He's the only one who can tell us what it was that happened; Cologne wants us to go and find him."

"Us? But who'll watch over the Kunos? Nabiki couldn't possibly keep them both here, even if they are all the same strength now. Unless Shampoo and Mousse came back?"

"Cologne hasn't heard from either of them. She sounded worried, too. Though she may have been just surprised that we found them before they did."

"Maybe they're still searching. Neither of them know the Kunos very well, they wouldn't have known where to look."

"Good point, sugar. Either way...we have to find Gosunkugi, and get him back here. Will you stay, and watch over the Kunos?" Ryoga shook his head. He didn't want to be left behind here, to rot, and pace around. It would kill him, the waiting. But...Nabiki. It wasn't that he cared about the girl, specifically, but she was a girl. A normal girl, not a martial artist. What if the Kunos decided they didn't want to stick around any longer? Or worse, went off exploring and found Ranma and Akane? It was a big risk, and one he wasn't sure if he wanted to take.

At the same time, he knew he couldn't stay here and sit around, when he could be doing something useful. Should be doing something useful. Akane was in the building somewhere, suffering, and needing him. And...so was Ranma. Rival or not, he didn't want Ranma to stay like this. It was just wrong.

"No, I'll go with you."

"What? But what about the Kunos?" Ryoga scratched his head, letting out a low sigh. Nabiki may have been a normal girl, but she wasn't a complete idiot. She was smart. Smarter then him, and...what was the word Gosunkugi had used earlier? Devious? Manipulative. He hated to borrow the words of someone he regarded as the scum of the earth, but he had been right. Nabiki had powers beyond any sort of physical prowess him and Ukyo possessed.

"Maybe...maybe Nabiki CAN handle them. She'll have to. Just...let me talk with her a minute first, okay? I'll meet you out front," said Ryoga, going against his own gut instinct at leaving the weak to watch over the weak, "Send Nabiki in here, I'll wait."

"Oh...okay, sure." He thought she was going to argue, but instead she left the room quietly. Leaning back against the counter, he fought to put back his composure and figure out what to tell Nabiki.


	13. Hajime! The Battle of the Weakest

**Chapter 5: Hajime! The Battle of the Weakest**

Shampoo rode her bicycle quickly, only slightly put off by the added weight on the back. She had been very, very tempted to just turn Mousse into a duck and make him ride in the basket. But if she was going to do that, any iota of a reason for bringing him along would be lost. He was stronger as a human. He talked more, and was a pain, but still stronger and more capable of helping. If only he didn't insist on holding onto her so; he claimed he'd fall if he didn't, but Shampoo suspected he was enjoying it all too much.

"Are you sure you got her orders right, Shampoo? This is all so...sudden," said Mousse, in their native Chinese Mandarin. She had told him the story as far as she knew it quite quickly after forcing him to get dressed and assist her. With a few small changes to the story that she had deemed necessary.

"Questioning me, Mousse?"

"N-no, it's not that. But what'll killing this boy do to help Ranma and the others? It doesn't make sense."

Shampoo smiled, baring her teeth.

"You're forgetting the Amazonian laws. By law, it's my right and duty to protect family. Since I'll be marrying Ranma soon, he's family. Are you saying I'm wrong?"

_Stupid Mousse,_ she thought, shaking her head. He never did understand; she wondered if he even tried. If he could look through the fog that seemed to be permanently around his head and see anything besides his obsession for her.

"I'm not forgetting, or saying, anything. But...shouldn't it be Ranma seeking the revenge?"

"He's weak now...so I'm going in his place." She heard Mousse sigh, but he didn't question her further. _He doesn't have the courage to question me further._

"Where is it we're going?"

"Furinkan High School. It's the school he goes to...Ranma's school. Gosunkugi's a classmate, they might know where he is." Shampoo turned left, speeding up as she saw that they were closer now.

When they arrived, the sun barely warming the air still, she ordered Mousse to wait at the gate with the bike, telling him not to go anywhere until she got back. She didn't trust his eyesight enough to let him move anywhere unguarded.

_Don't lose hope, beloved. I'll avenge you, and I'll get you your strength back too. Count on it._

She walked into the building, seeing only a few students in the front entrance. Never one to wait when she could just dive right in, she stopped the first student she saw, blocking her path. It was a girl, shorter then her, who looked scared and confused at being stopped by a strange, taller girl.

"You. Shampoo have question. You know Gosunkugi?" She felt the strain of going from her native tongue to the local dialect. She never did like the language here, except when Ranma spoke it. He could say anything to her, almost, and she'd like it.

"Sorry, I don't know who that is," replied the girl, who tried to brush past her. Not done yet, Shampoo held her shoulder, keeping her firmly in place.

"Is boy, highest grade level. Senior. You sure you not know? Where Shampoo go find out?"

"I'm just a sophomore, I don't know! The seniors are mostly upstairs, at the top. Try there."

Letting her go, Shampoo sprinted off to the stairway, dodging students as she ran to the top floor. She didn't want to stop any more before getting there for fear of getting the same unhelpful answers back. Once she had bounded up the four flights, she stopped and looked around. Two boys, who looked roughly Ranma's age, had noticed her the second she had come up the stairs. Swaying her hips as she walked over to them, she smiled, hypnotizing them in place with her good looks.

"You, boys. Know Ranma?" They smiled, nodding.

"Yeah, of course we know Ranma. He's in my class."

Shampoo practically purred.

"Good. You know other boy, Gosunkugi?"

"Uh...well, yes. Someone like you wouldn't be interested in him, though. He's a bit of a loner, not very popular."

"Shampoo very, very interested. You see him today? He in class?"

"Actually, now that I think of it...no, he's not here. And neither are Ranma...or Akane...or that girl who always wears the boys uniform," said the first one.

"Ukyo? You're right...hey, you know anything about them? Is Ranma sick?" asked the second, looking up at Shampoo.

"Airen...sick. Yes." Shampoo tried to keep the sad feelings contained inside of her. Ranma would be alright; she was fiercely confident that he would be. He had to be. She would avenge the attack on him, and come back to see him well. And, hopefully, thankful to see that she had taken care of things for him. Sure, he may be angry at first, since she was taking his revenge for him. But in time...she hoped he would understand. Something like this wasn't to be left for too long.

"Airen? Oh, you're Chinese, aren't you? Sorry, I don't know Chinese very well."

"Is okay. You know where he live? Gosunkugi."

"Wow, I think you're probably the first girl to ever want to know that. I don't know, though. Hiroshi, you know?"

"Sure do. Here, I'll write it down, hold on," said Hiroshi, pulling out a pen and paper. Shampoo waited patiently as he scribbled an address, then she took the paper and read quickly. The address wasn't far from there; he most likely walked to school.

"Good." Shampoo turned, leaving without another word.

"H-hey, wait!" she heard one of the boys call after her. Shampoo didn't listen though; she had a mission, and Ranma couldn't wait forever.

Sliding down the rails of the stairs, she avoided students all the way down. She had the information she needed, now. They just had to check on one more thing, first.

"Mousse! Take the bike and come here, we're going to the gym!" called Shampoo, once Mousse was in sight again.

"The gym? Okay, I'm coming."

She watched him pick up the bike, running over towards her. Once sure that he was close enough so as not to lose her, she ran towards the building she remembered as being the gym. Many a time before she had visited Ranma at his school. Although she didn't know it perfectly, she had an idea of where the buildings were, and the general layout.

When they got there they found a few men wearing protective gear, standing near the entranceway. They glanced at the two people running towards them, obviously not students due to the lack of uniforms, and looked at them questioningly.

"Hey, no one's allowed in the gym right now. There was a break-in last night, and they're still working on fixing the stage."

Shampoo pouted, hearing Mousse catch up with her and put down the bike.

"We look for Gosunkugi. You sure no one in there?" Shampoo tried to look over his broad shoulders, into the doorway. The man was frustrating her; already, she wanted to grab her bike and just mow through them, but she had to be patient. For Ranma.

"What are you talking about? No one's in there, except the repair man," he replied, half turning as though to end the conversation.

"Wait! Shampoo no can even look?" she asked, wanting to just kick the man out of her way. But she held herself in check; that could attract attention.

"Shampoo...can I handle this?"

The man, obviously not understanding Chinese, turned around and began to head back into the building.

"You? Are you kidding? I can do things for myself, you know," she said irritably. Now, more then ever, she wanted Mousse gone. It was humiliating for him to suggest that he could do something where she couldn't. For stupid, awkward Mousse, to excel where she failed.

"I believe you, but my Japanese happens to be better then yours. Let me talk with them a moment."

Shampoo sniffed, then looked him over, seeing a sincere will to help in his eyes. Behind the coke bottle thick glasses, anyway. After a moment she nodded stiffly, then stepped back, reclaiming her bike. For Ranma. It was all for Ranma._ He'd better appreciate this...leaving things in the hands of Mousse! Aiyaa, I must be going crazy._

"Fine, Mr. Japan. You do it," she said angrily. Smiling, Mousse stepped forward and tapped the man on the shoulder.

_For Ranma..._

"I'm sorry, my friend has trouble speaking Japanese. You don't understand the whole situation. We have...information, on what happened here last night."

_Yes, Mousse, make us look like suspects now. Idiot! You don't even know everything that happened._ The men were looking at Mousse with great interest now, though, and he certainly did have their attention.

"Oh really? Are you turning yourselves in?"

Shampoo held herself back from hitting her so-called partner.

"N-no! It's nothing like that. But there was a boy involved, here. A dangerous boy. We need to find him, before he causes any more trouble, and we thought he might still be here. Or at least, left a clue as to where he'd be."

The man sniffed, eyeing him suspiciously.

"And who are you, a private detective? Get lost, kid," he said, starting to turn around again. Standing straighter, Mousse let one of his hidden weapons be visible through his shirt sleeve.

"Are you sure you won't let us in? Just for a quick look," said Mousse, his voice sounding threatening. Shampoo was almost impressed, but her irritation towards him still remained. She merely watched coldly, waiting to see the reaction.

"You can't have that-"

"Let me and my friend look around, and no one else will know. We'll leave as soon as we're done."

The man looked from Mousse to Shampoo nervously, and Shampoo smiled, baring her teeth. After a moment, he nodded, then backed up out of their way.

"Let these two in! Don't question them."

"Thank you," said Shampoo as she walked in behind Mousse.

"Y-you're welcome."

The gym looked very large with only one other person was in it at the moment. He was off to one side, examining something on the floor that looked like it could be blood.

"What does Gosunkugi look like?"

"He's a plain boy. Short, maybe up to my chin, and very skinny. Narrow face, short black hair, and bags under his eyes. I think they're brown, his eyes, but I'm not sure. His skin is pale, paler then you. When I saw him early this morning, he was wearing all black." Shampoo tried to picture him again as well as she could, but found the image was blurry. He was rather average looking, to her at least. Not the sort of boy she'd look twice at.

"He doesn't sound like he'd cause much trouble."

"Physically, no. He's weak; spatula-girl and I held him down easy. He has a grudge against my Ranma, though. People with grudges can be very dangerous, given the chance."

They were at the stage now, looking at the large hole. Inside of it were a few candles, knocked over, an empty pot and some ashes, as well as debris from the actual stage. On the ground near the stage, scuff marks told of a fight, or at least a struggle. Shampoo had noticed those earlier. Putting a finger to her chin, she looked around, trying to see something helpful. The stench of sweat and an odd incense-like smell still hung in the air there. Looking to her left, she saw a door, opened slightly.

"Hmmm." Shampoo wandered over to it, ignoring Mousse. The bronze knob had wax on it, and there had been candles under the stage. Perhaps some wax had stuck to his hand, then came off when he touched the knob? Hearing Mousse walk up behind her, she turned partially around and pointed to the knob.

"What is it?" asked Mousse, unable to see the small patch clearly.

"Wax. You saw the candles under the stage?"

"Of course. Hmm. So he went out this way?" Mousse pushed the door gently open without touching the knob. Directly beside the door it looked like the grass had been disturbed, and a few small splinters of wood like that from the stage were on the ground. Crouching, Shampoo touched the wood gingerly, then stood up again, leaning against her bike that she had walked through the gym.

"We left him to sulk, early this morning. He obviously got up, walked out this door, and took off. But where did he go?" She could feel her hunter instincts kicking in. Her instincts to find, and search, and...kill. She had never actually killed before, but she would, this time. For Ranma. There was absolutely no question, despite the knot of guilt that was forming in her stomach. Absolutely no question...

"Wha-well...I don't know. I'd have to know him, but..." Mousse's voice trailed off as he looked towards the school. "He'd definitely leave school grounds, if he has any brains. They'd blame him for the holes, since he was the only one there. Then he'd have to either take the blame, or rat on Ranma and Kuno. Either way takes him to trouble."

A light appeared in Shampoo's eyes, and she pulled the paper with the address out of her pocket. Reading it carefully, she put it away, then got on her bike.

"Get on."

"Where are we going?" asked Mousse, getting as comfortable as possible on the narrow seat behind Shampoo.

"His house, I got his address. He didn't necessarily go home, but...it's a place to start the hunt."

* * *

><p>Ukyo took Ryoga to the school first, though she didn't expect much out of it aside from perhaps a questioning eye or two, wondering why she wasn't attending classes today. <em>Of all days, too...the exams are coming up,<em> she thought, feeling odd for thinking of such a mundane thing compared to what was going on in the Nekohanten.

They walked to the gym, avoiding the main school building. It was nearly lunch by now, and there were classes having gym outside. When they got to the front of the building, a few adults were carrying wood inside, one looking like he was standing guard.

"Hey! I'm sorry, but you can't come in right now," said the man, who wore blue workers overalls and a grey shirt.

"Oh. Well we're just trying to find someone...I heard there was an accident here, last night? One of my classmates was involved, and I was concerned," lied Ukyo. She doubted that Gosunkugi was in any condition to be going to class, but she wasn't sure if she had expected him to still be at the gym, either. He seemed too smart for that.

"One of your classmates? Heh. You're the second pair of nosy kids to want a look at the gym today. Well, I'm not letting you in. Not even if you threaten me. I have a defense, this time." He patted a pouch on his overalls as though to demonstrate that he had a weapon there.

"Huh? We're not going to threaten you, who do you think we are? We're just looking for information," said Ryoga, stepping forward defensively. The man took a step back, then changed his mind, stepping forward and holding his face firm.

"No."

"Wait, what do you mean you have a defense this time? Who was trying to get in?" asked Ukyo. The man looked as though he were going to brush them off, then sighed.

"Two Chinese kids, one male, one female. The girl had long, purple hair, and the guy had black hair and thick glasses."

_Shampoo and Mousse? But they're supposed to be out looking for Kuno and Kodachi...did they think they would be here?_

"How long ago were they here?"

"What, they friends of yours?"

"Not exactly...," said Ukyo, shaking her head. "But it's important that we know." The man furrowed his brow, looking from Ryoga, to Ukyo, then back again.

"You kids really oughta go to the police, you know. Four of you already that seem to know more then anyone else in this school. It's very suspicious."

Ukyo winced. Now was not the time to have others be suspicious; they had to end this all, and fast. If only they could find Gosunkugi. The parts about Shampoo and Mousse triggered her highly tuned martial artist's sense of danger, but she wasn't sure why. Yet.

"We don't have time for the police. How long?" The harsh tone to Ryoga's voice made the man cringe.

"Maybe an hour ago. They just walked in, looked around, then left out the side. Pretty sure they went out the front gate soon afterwards."

"We should go after them, tell them we've found the others," said Ukyo to Ryoga, who nodded in agreement.

"Hey, before you do that...make sure you tell anyone else who may be involved here that we're trying to fix the stage, okay? We don't need you kids prancing around, being all dramatic about how you have to know. If you know something about the break-in, tell the principal, or the police. If not, let us do our job."

Ukyo waved him off.

"Yeah, sure," she said distractedly as she turned around, Ryoga following her as they walked towards the main gate of the school. Once just outside, they stopped, Ukyo leaning against the wall thoughtfully.

"No Gosunkugi, and now Shampoo and Mousse wandering around. Think they're back at the Nekohanten by now?" asked Ukyo, watching Ryoga crouch down on the ground beside her. She found herself getting used to having her shadow with her, though it irked on her sense of privacy from time to time. Why couldn't she be depressed, irritated, and mad at the world and fate itself, alone? Did she really need company for it? Just as much as he annoyed her, though, it did help to have someone with her. Someone who understood most of what she was going through. Even if he was Ryoga, the eternally lost boy, and she was his makeshift guide.

"If they left an hour ago, and they were going back to the Nekohanten, they would have been there before we left," said Ryoga, inspecting something on the sidewalk as he spoke.

"That's a good point. Let's not worry about them too much, then. Though I wonder why they threatened that man...maybe they just got impatient. Shampoo has quite the temper."

"So what do we do now?" asked Ryoga, standing again to look at Ukyo. His face was determined, though still sad.

"Well...we have no clues. All we know is that sometime after we left, Gosunkugi up and left the gym. And it was at least an hour ago, since he was gone before Shampoo and Mousse got there. You have any ideas? You spent some time alone with him, did he say anything?" Ukyo could feel the hopefulness in her voice, and wondered at it.

"Not much. Just talked about how beautiful Akane is, and that we should let him go home, since he couldn't help us anymore," said Ryoga, sighing. Ukyo nodded, her hands creeping up to her hair to fix her ponytail in place while she thought.

As expected, nothing. Had they run out of luck already? But it was too soon...and Ranma still needed them. They couldn't fail him yet, they just couldn't.

Her mind went back to earlier that day, when she had Gosunkugi underneath her battle spatula, then Ryoga saying how he wanted to beat on him more. She found herself sharing that idea, though at the same time...there was something about Gosunkugi. Before she knew of the curse, she had felt sorry for him. When she saw him on the floor, and recognized him, she had been concerned for him, and worried that he had been hurt as well. Wasn't he an innocent? A victim? But this time, the roles were almost reversed. The forever harrassed boy was now the unwilling bully, and Ukyo was torn between feeling sorry for him and wanting to punch his face in.

"He looked pretty depressed when we did leave, too," she commented, looking down the street to the left of them, then again to the right. _Which way did he pick? Left or right? But even if we figure that out, he's probably not even on this road still._ Hikaru Gosunkugi was a hard person to predict, indeed. Was he confident that he was right? Or had he cracked? He had seemed close to a nervous breakdown, earlier. If one hadn't happened right then and there, and they had been too furious to notice.

All the same, Gosunkugi had hurt her Ranma. Aggressor or victim, he needed to be found, the wrongs needed to be righted, and Gosunkugi...Gosunkugi would be punished. Severely. This she knew in her heart, and knew it would happen, whether or not her own spatula was involved in the process.

They sat in near silence, hearing the lunch bell ring. It was noon already; how long had they been searching now? Would it even be worth it all, in the end? Ukyo fought to keep her composure as she heard students start to pour out of the school, some going through the gate to walk home for lunch.

"Hey, Ukyo? Ukyo!" said a voice as it started to pass her, then stopped upon recognition. A tall boy, handsome and with short curly brown hair stopped and looked at her, then Ryoga.

"Hiroshi?" she asked, recognizing the boy from her class, but unsure of his name.

"Right. So you aren't sick, then? Odd."

"No, what gave you that idea?"

"Well, you weren't in school...one of Ranma's friends was here, asking questions, and she said that Ranma was sick. I thought maybe you and Akane, and maybe Gosunkugi, had all caught the same cold or something."

Ukyo immediately stood up straighter, leaning in towards Hiroshi. He knew something. He knew something! But as much as she was excited, she tried to keep her hopes level. It may be something, but it might not be helpful, whatever it was. She just had to get more information.

"What? She? Purple-haired Chinese girl?"

"Yeah, that's her. Pretty cute too. Err, not that you aren't...I mean...," he rambled, biting his lip.

"She said Ranma was sick?" asked Ukyo, ignoring his discomfort.

"Yeah. She was asking about Gosunkugi too. I thought that was odd...what girl would want to go after him?" Ukyo exchanged a look with Ryoga, then looked back at her classmate.

"Do you know where Gosunkugi is? Or where Shampoo went? It's very important." Hiroshi raised an eyebrow, then proceeded to take off his backpack, pulling out a pen and piece of paper.

"She wanted his home address, I assume she went there...look, I know it's probably none of my business, but...what's going on here, Ukyo?" he asked, writing down an address then handing it to her.

"Nothing. Look, don't mention this to anyone, okay? But if you see Shampoo again, tell her she should go back to the Nekohanten," she said, looking at the address then quickly starting off towards their left.

"Huh? Uh...okay."

Wordlessly, Ryoga followed her as she jogged up the street, address firmly in hand.

_Why is she looking for Gosunkugi now? They're supposed to be after Kuno and Kodachi._ Something was definitely not right again. She found herself almost getting used to that, too, and the thought made her nauseous.

"Hey, Ryoga...Shampoo would never disobey her great-grandmother, right? When Cologne says jump, Shampoo says 'how high?'?" asked Ukyo, wanting to be sure of something.

"I don't know her any better then you, but that sounds about right."

"It looks like they didn't even try searching for the Kunos...like they immediately started after Gosunkugi, instead. Why would they do that?" she asked, then looked over at Ryoga. Judging from his expression, he had just had an epiphany. "Ryoga?" she asked, more forcefully.

"She wants to kill Gosunkugi," he said, his voice hollow.

"She what?!" Ukyo didn't know it was possible for her voice to hit quite that high of an octave, but apparently it was as Ryoga had instinctively reached up to cover his ears. But Shampoo wasn't a killer, was she? She wouldn't just go out, and kill someone for revenge...would she? For Ranma? Her face was grim as she fought to suss out the answer.

"No, no it makes sense. Gosunkugi hurt Ranma, so Shampoo wants to hurt him. Straight out of her Amazon Laws, no doubt. Heh. Gosunkugi may be a jerk, and he hurt Akane...but Shampoo can't just do that. We still need him, too."

"Shampoo's not one to do things halfway, either. She's very gung-ho...and Gosunkugi isn't a fighter. Even if Shampoo's intention was to wound, she could easily kill him by accident," she said worriedly. _I hope we're not too late...they have an hour's head start on us already. Dammit! If they get to Gosunkugi first...then Ranma-honey will..._

Hopelessness fought to consume her, and she forced herself to try and stay focused. Shampoo was still human; she still had limitations. Her and Ryoga were evenly matched against Shampoo and Mousse. If the Chinese pair hadn't found him yet, and were still searching too...they had a chance. There was always a chance. She had to believe in that, hold onto it, for Ranma. For her own sanity, and for Ranma-honey.

"We'll find them, Ukyo." Ryoga's eyes scanned all around them as they jogged. Ukyo sniffed, not wanting to hear his comfort. Ukyo had to have everything under control. She was the strength, the guide, the thinker. Ryoga was the power and support, and she had to be in control of her feelings to guide him, and herself, properly.

"Comforting words coming from the boy who needs a guide just to walk around a house," said Ukyo, feeling bitter about their whole situation.

"What? I'm trying to reassure you, and you insult me?" he asked, looking genuinely hurt. Sighing, Ukyo shook her head. _Maintain control...maintain control...yes, good. I'm in control. I'm in...control..._

"It's the truth, isn't it? You need me to get anywhere. I have to find Gosunkugi." She felt as though a huge weight had just fallen on top of her shoulders. A weight she had placed there. She knew Ryoga would fight to share it, but she couldn't share it.

Ukyo was a loner by nature. She didn't share, she wouldn't share with anyone but Ranma. Right now Ranma was too weak and dazed to even know fully who she was, let alone share a burden of responsibility.

"You don't even know where he is. Sure, I can't easily get to a fixed destination on purpose, but we have no clue where Gosunkugi is. All we have is an address, and we don't even know he's there. I could find him just as easily as you could, this way."

"Whatever."

_Control...control...don't let Ryoga goad you out of it now, girl.._. But her insides trembled as she fought to keep the emotions in. Ranma was weak, and forgetting her as they ran. They needed to find Gosunkugi, but had no clue as to where he was. And they needed to find Shampoo and Mousse, before they found Gosunkugi, and wounded him. Or worse, killed. She had to hope Nabiki was keeping Kuno and Kodachi under her thumb, or else something else would go wrong, and another thread of the plan would be teased out, and...

_And...and...and..._

"You know, I'm really getting sick of you taking out everything on me. Don't think I haven't noticed. Calling me pig boy, making me look stupid, tugging me around, belittling me..."

Why did he sound so upset, suddenly? His voice came through only barely as her thoughts raced. She had to solve everything, and find Gosunkugi, and then they would bring him back, and help Ranma, and...

_And...and...and...oh god...I'm losing it. Don't let me lose it, here and now. Dammit! No, not now...no..._

She barely saw Ryoga stop out of the corner of her eye, but felt his firm grip take hold of her arm. Strange, his hand was so large that his fingers circled easily around her forearm. Stopping her completely, ending her forward pace. Why was he ending her forward pace? Didn't he realize what was at stake here? Was he really that stupid? Tears welled up in her eyes as the ball of frustration within her grew.

"Ukyo, stop it!" His expression didn't match the harsh tone of his voice. Odd. His expression was...soft. She suddenly felt dazed, and realized that tears were rolling down her face at an alarming speed. Was she crying? But she wasn't supposed to cry. She was Ukyo. Restaurant owner Ukyo, in charge of her own life, her own fate. A grown up, for years now, despite being only eighteen. She was the strength here, the control. She couldn't be crying. She could NOT be crying!

But the tears flowed still, unwanted, unbidden. Unstopping. Ryoga sighed, and she knew he wouldn't roar at her again. Why had he yelled? He had scared her, when he yelled like that. Made her worry and lose confidence in herself, and her abilities. Why did he have to yell at her as though she were a child? A child running after problems she couldn't solve.

"Ukyo..." His voice was normal again. She was right, he really wasn't going to yell at her again. Was he? But Ryoga wasn't a nasty person. He was helping her. Helping her all day, really, from one thing to the next. A huge sob burst from somewhere deep inside, and she heard herself crying loudly. Embarrassingly. She watched as Ryoga's face went from concerned, to embarrassed, to unsure of what to do. Tears still flowed from her eyes, and she shook uncontrollably with sobs. Fighting to stop only made it worse, and childlike sobs came from her as though she had lost composure completely.

_I can't...I can't...I can't...I can't..._

Her knees went weak. She couldn't see anymore, she was so blinded by the tears. But why wasn't she on the cement now? Her knees should be hurting from the fast collision with the sidewalk. Instead, her face was pressed against something warm, and firm. A comforting smell filled her nostrils as she breathed in noisily, a sob escaping in her confusion. Ryoga was holding her? Was he...? She felt nervous arms hold her, one stroking her back between her shoulder blades lightly. Smoothing her hair; firm, yet gentle arms. Above the sounds of her own sobbing, now quieting, she could hear soothing noises coming from Ryoga's mouth. Her shaking lessened, though only slightly.

_Oh god...my...I've...failed..._

Fiercely, she let out one last, loud sob, then reached up to grab Ryoga's shirt with both hands, holding the fabric tightly. She had lost it, here in front of Ryoga of all people. And he was comforting her. Comforting her? It was all so surreal...all so odd, and fuzzy.

"U-Ukyo...," he said nervously. Her name again. Was that three times now? Or had he been trying to call her back to consciousness for longer then that? Slowly, she opened her eyes, seeing that her head was resting against his shoulder. In front of her brown eyes was Ryoga's neck, a pale expanse of smooth skin, as well as his chin. His jaw looked so boyish, but still firm. Firmer then Ranma's, she realized, but banished the thought as she wiped her tears away on Ryoga's shirt. She realized the ball of tension that had been growing in her stomach was gone now. As though she had just cried it out. Her sanity was coming back, in slow, uncontrolled bursts, but it was coming back. With it came the realization that she was being too familiar with her partner. Ryoga said nothing, though. If anything, he was probably too nervous to. He always had been around girls.

_Good old...Ryoga..._

Finally though, she wiped the last of the tears from her eyes and stepped back slowly, her head down. Yes, she had just made a colossal fool out of herself. She deserved any teasing Ryoga was ready to dish out at her; even if it was yelling again. He was good at that, his fangs added to the effect nicely. But as she looked up into his eyes, she saw a kindness there. And an extreme nervousness in his brown eyes, lighter then hers. Almost...orange, she realized, wondering why she was thinking of such things. They had more important issues to worry about.

Ryoga shook his head as though reading her mind, but he still looked nervous. Very, very nervous. Because of...her? But it wasn't the first time she had cried in front of him, she realized. Back at the restaurant, when he was P-chan...but that had been different, somehow. Safer. She could pretend he was just a loveable pet, cuddly and comforting because of his presence, not because of who he was.

"Are you...?" began Ryoga, his voice shaking. It was a mystery how he could be so strong and intimidating one moment and an insecure little boy the next.

"Sane? Yeah. I...think I've cleared my head a bit," she said, finding nothing better to look at then the collar of Ryoga's shirt. It was hard to meet those dark orange eyes, right now.

"Good. Good, I'm...glad to hear it."

"And umm...thanks. I needed to let that out."

"I know," said Ryoga, so quickly she wasn't even sure he had said it. When she looked back up to his eyes though, they had gone right back to business; they were firm, and determined, and looked somewhere beyond Ukyo's head.

"I'm ready to go now. If you are. We should go to the address, right?" She was hesitant to take control again, as odd as that felt. It had been too much for her, just now, and had caused her to breakdown. She didn't like breaking down, or showing weakness like that. As though sensing this, Ryoga nodded, appearing to be thinking.

"Yeah. Yeah, we should," he said, his voice still scratchy and unsure, but determined enough for her. For now.

"Right. It isn't too far from here." Ukyo felt lighter as they turned around and began jogging once more.

They turned right at the next intersection, then headed straight for a few blocks further when her legs started to complain about all the running. They had been going for several hours already today; she could run for long amounts of time, but this was starting to get ridiculous.

_We just need to find him, and soon...then bring him back to the Nekohanten, even if he's kicking and screaming to be free. That little brat,_ she thought, itching to grab her spatula and give Gosunkugi a beating. They still needed him, though; conscious and in one piece. And agreeable, though that could be arranged.

A few blocks further, the silence between her and Ryoga was starting to make her feel uncomfortable. She wondered if he was feeling edgy over her emotional display earlier; it was always hard to tell. Ryoga reacted to some things as though they were completely personal, while others he just absorbed, pushing down the events he couldn't categorize as though they hadn't happened. Looking at him from the corner of her eye, she saw the same determined face, not looking the least bit winded by the jog, his dark hair bouncing around barely in the confines of his yellow and black bandanna. She quickly looked away, concentrating in front of them again.

_It doesn't matter right now. Maybe that was a free card, a chance to vent with no strings attached. If he wants to talk about it, he will. If not...no point in bringing it up._

They stopped at the next intersection, and Ukyo pulled out the paper again, comparing the street name to the one they were on.

"It should be two houses down, on the right," she said, leading him that way.

_I don't think I've been to this part of Nerima before...a little run down, but not bad,_ she thought, looking at the small townhouses as they went. Stopping them again, she looked up at an old, grey house beside them, comparing the number to the one on the paper.

"Is that it?"

"Yeah, this is it. Let's see if he's here," she said, walking up the short driveway. A dog barked at them from behind a wire fence beside the house; it was small, fairly harmless, though it seemed to take great offence at their intrusion. Trying to focus, Ukyo walked up to the door, then knocked twice. She was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of self-consciousness.

_What if he's not here? And it's his mother that answers? Or his little sister, or...what do we say? 'Hey, Gosunkugi messed up really bad on a curse he put on our friends, while they thought he was trying to help, and now we need to take him to a place where everyone hates him so he can undo it and further humiliate himself in the process'?_ Shuffling her feet, she tried not to think about it. She wasn't very successful.

The person who answered the door was a very tired looking man, who Ukyo immediately was able to recognize as Gosunkugi's father. So much of him was in Gosunkugi; the hair, the eyes, the narrow face, the skinny limbs. In one hand he was holding a small book with a black leather cover. The other was holding the door open, but just barely. He stood directly in the doorway, as though to further discourage them from entering.

"Yes?" His eyes focused on Ukyo, only briefly flickering to Ryoga. It made her very nervous, those large, dark eyes boring into her. She bowed her head quickly, then tried to meet his eyes.

"Sorry to bother you. Are you Hikaru Gosunkugi's father?"

"Yes, I am." He looked at them questioningly, more interest showing at the mention of his son. Ukyo saw this as positive, and felt her spirit lighten.

"Is he here? We need to find him; it's kind of urgent."

The man scratched his chin thoughtfully, as though wondering which answer to give.

"My son is supposed to be at school, right now," he began. "You look roughly his age; shouldn't you kids be in school too?" Although smiling good-naturedly, it did not reach his troubled eyes.

"Well...normally yes, but...are you saying he's not here? You didn't really answer."

The smile faded from his face, and he looked away.

"My son didn't come home last night. Are you friends of his? Is that why you're here? You're not the first to try, you know. I didn't even know Hikaru had close friends."

Ukyo was about to answer, then Ryoga gently tapped her on the arm, stopping her.

"We need to find him. The other people that were here...was it a girl, purple hair, and a boy, black hair, both Chinese?" asked Ryoga. When Gosunkugi's father nodded, he continued. "They're not exactly his friends."

"...I see. Is he in trouble, then?" He didn't sound surprised to hear that the others weren't his friends. _He probably doesn't actually think we're friends, either...he doesn't look very trusting. We did just randomly showed up at his doorstep, he has no reason to trust us._

"He might be," confessed Ukyo.

"Right. Well, he certainly isn't here, I haven't seen him," he said, starting to close the door. Ukyo stuck her foot in it though, pushing at it with her shoulder.

"Wait! Is there any place that he goes to? Any other house, or somewhere where he'd go to get away?"

"I don't really know. When he's not in school, he's usually here. I should have known he didn't really have friends. Goodbye, and be sure to leave my property, or I'm calling the police."

This time Ukyo let him close the door, and she slumped against it, looking worn out. The dog started barking at them again, louder, as though he had understood his master's words and was lecturing them on their lack of haste.

"Come on Ukyo, we should get out of here," said Ryoga, starting down the steps to the driveway. Ukyo followed him reluctantly. They walked down the sidewalk, the dog still barking at them even as they went out of view of the animal._ So much for that...he didn't even tell us where Shampoo and Mousse went,_ she thought, shaking her head. It was doubtful he would have given any more information. Despite his lack of faith in his son's ability to make friends, he was protective. He hadn't given them any concrete information, only confirmed that Gosunkugi was not at home. Ukyo felt her stomach grumble, asking for lunch, but she ignored it, keeping the pace forward.

* * *

><p>The wheels of Shampoo's bicycle turned quickly, spokes invisible to the eye at the speed they were going. Yet this was slow, compared to earlier. A frustrated but still determined Shampoo cycled on, with Mousse clinging to her from his position on the back of the bike. The sun was moving further in the sky now; it was past noon. Well past. She felt as though they had searched half of Nerima, yet their search had come up empty. Shampoo felt about ready to return to the Nekohanten to check on progress, and found herself steering that way unintentionally.<p>

Gosunkugi's house had not been helpful; his father, though polite at first, quickly had ended the conversation by telling them what Shampoo did not want to hear. That he did not have any information, and that he had no idea where his son was.

"Are we going home, Shampoo?"

"The Nekohanten is my home, not yours. You just work there." For the umpteenth time she craved cold water to splash Mousse with. Being careful not to get any on herself, of course. It was bad enough that she felt as though she were failing Ranma; why did she have to babysit the near-blind boy as well? It just wasn't fair. And here he was, speaking so familiarly with her, assuming...it just drove her mad.

"Even though I have a room there, and sleep there at nights?"

"That's just temporary and you know it. Don't take advantage of the kindness of my great-grandmother; it's not like it'll last much longer, anyway." It annoyed her, the living situation. Mousse, under the same roof as her. Why couldn't it have been Ranma? She wondered if Ranma would even appreciate all that she was risking for him; disobeying her great-grandmother, ignoring commands to find two people, and instead using Mousse to try and hunt down another. The one who had dishonoured her Ranma. _I did obey one part of her order, at least. I brought stupid Mousse with me._

She turned down the street passively, causing a man carrying boxes to have to dodge out of her way. No one interesting was out today. No one who could help her. She was growing tired of the city, of the country. The only thing keeping her there was Ranma; more then once she had considered kidnaping him, and taking him home to China. Great-grandmother had disapproved of that idea quite vehemently. She seemed to disapprove of a lot of Shampoo's ideas, lately.

A figure in the distance caught her attention, and she pedaled faster, causing Mousse to lurch slightly. It couldn't be...after all this time? But as she pedaled faster, her suspicions were only confirmed, rather then denied. Finally she was pedaling like a maniac, her eyes hard orbs of violet, and her knuckles white from gripping the handlebars. Almost there...almost sure...

_It is! That idiot! We checked all over Nerima, and he was under our noses? But from here...it's hard to tell...still..._

"Sh-Shampoo?" She felt Mousse lean to the right, looking around her to see what was making her speed up.

"Not so loud," she chastised, but her heart wasn't into it. The closer she came, the surer she was. He was walking down the sidewalk, head down, shoulders slumped with his hands in his pockets. He stopped once as she was biking, to look at his wrist. Probably at a watch. It gave her more then enough time to catch up with him, and soon she was close enough to be positive.

"Mousse, that's him. That's him!" she said excitedly, not caring how loud she was anymore. He couldn't get away now, not with them so close. Finally, justice would be served.

* * *

><p>"Maybe we were wrong about them. Maybe her and Mousse are sitting in the Nekohanten right now, drumming their fingers, waiting for us to come home with Gosunkugi. Maybe-"<p>

As they turned the corner Ryoga quickly put up his hand, ending Ukyo's attempts at reassuring herself. He heard her gulp as her eyes took in what he was seeing, and he put down his hand.

Gosunkugi, the one they had been searching seemingly forever for, was mere paces away from them now. He had caught Ryoga's eyes, and stared at them, dumbfounded. Behind him, still unknown to Gosunkugi, Shampoo was bicycling hard with Mousse holding onto her back.

Many things went through Ryoga's mind at a very, very fast pace. Gosunkugi was before them...now that he was really there, did he hit him or kidnap him? Talk or fight? Protect Ukyo from the racing Shampoo and Mousse, or let her fight, despite her display of weakness earlier? That he had vowed silently to tell no one about, but still, she may still be feeling weak. Should he protect Gosunkugi now, attack Shampoo and Mousse and risk him running away? What should he do? What was he best course?

While he had been standing and thinking, Ukyo had taken matters into her own hands. Her actions quickly stopped his racing mind, forcing him to decide.

"Look out!" shouted Ukyo, springing into action and diving at Gosunkugi. The weaker boy tried to avoid her, but she caught him easily, then threw herself to the ground, rolling safely to the side Shampoo's path. Ryoga lunged at the two on the bike, noting that Ukyo had cut at least half of his decisions away. He easily stopped the bike as Shampoo and Mousse jumped up, readying their weapons as the bike clanged noisily to the ground.

"Stay down! And don't you dare go anywhere," hissed Ukyo, getting up to help Ryoga.

"What's going on?" asked Gosunkugi, his voice coming out a small croak.

"Just stay down, and keep quiet." Cracking her knuckles, Ukyo took position beside Ryoga, watching Mousse and Shampoo. Shampoo gazed at them cooly, looking determined to not let them get in the way. Mousse, however, looked confused, and addressed Ryoga.

"Aren't you guys on our side?" Ryoga snorted, then shook his head.

"That depends. What are you doing?"

"Don't listen to them Mousse; they'll lie. They're not as tough as we are; they think Gosunkugi should go unpunished."

"Don't try and trick him, Shampoo. You're trying to kill Gosunkugi, aren't you?" asked Ukyo, taking out her spatula. "Don't you realize what will happen if you do that?"

"Shampoo no play tricks. Shampoo honourable. Boy, there, hurt airen gravely. Airen now weak. So Shampoo get revenge for him." Shampoo had her bonbori out before Ukyo could blink.

"Not if I can help it!" Ukyo roared, lunging at the Chinese girl as soon as Shampoo made a step towards her. She barely missed Shampoo's shoulder as the bonbori grazed her thigh. The two landed, then turned around slowly, Ukyo glaring as Shampoo bared her teeth.

"What about you Mousse? What side are you on?" asked Ryoga, sounding far from calm. Mousse smirked, his glasses flashing as they caught the mid afternoon sun.

"Shampoo's, of course. Prepare yourself, Hibiki!"

Ukyo fought wildly, her spatula clashing with the bonbori at each interval. She tried her best to get in a kick or punch in the meantime, but Shampoo left no openings. Their need for distance to use their own weapons kept them from getting close. Breakfalling onto the sidewalk, she took out her smaller spatulas, using them as throwing darts. Shampoo dodged most of them, though one struck her on the arm. It didn't keep her down for long, though. Soon both were back up again, attacking and defending, each determined to find a weakness in the other.

* * *

><p>The tall, white robed Chinese boy fought with all his mind, body and soul against his rival. Against Ryoga. Time and time again, his opponent was dodged, or worse, used his own attacks against him. But he had to prevail. He had to win, for his Shampoo. Even if the odds were hard to read. He'd do anything for Shampoo. Anything.<p>

And yet, a small spark of his mind was fighting him. Well, not so much fighting, but its passivity, its curiosity was starting to get to him. It dared to ask, in a small, confused voice, what he was doing. It asked why. It questioned. Questioned Shampoo, questioned him, questioned Amazon law, and wondered if really they should be doing this. Of course Shampoo wouldn't lie to him, he tried to tell the voice. She was Shampoo! She was...she was his love. His love was true, and was above sneaky methods. Of course she was right. But still, the spark nagged, and fought him with it's passivity.

He could admit it; he didn't want to fight Ryoga. Not really, anyway. He had no quarrel with him, except for the fact that he was currently trying to stop his Shampoo from achieving a goal. In fact, he rather liked the guy. More then once he had fought alongside him, either against Ranma, or to help Ranma. They were a team usually. And here they were, battling like mere schoolboys as the girls fought beside them, just as fierce as they. And for what?

Mousse dared a look at this Gosunkugi. At least, he tried to, but his eyesight was so poor he couldn't make out quite what the boy looked like. He had an idea where he was, though. A dull, dark figure was crouching down near the bushes at the side of the road. It looked small, but really it was hard to tell from where he was. Why wasn't he protecting himself, and instead staying so close to the battlefield? Why hadn't he yet run away? Anyone with any brains would–

His thoughts were jumbled as he realized that Ryoga had just sent him reeling. Recovering quickly, Mousse felt pain in his jaw, and pain in his chest. He looked up to see the blurred figure that was Ryoga standing over him triumphantly. Quickly, Mousse fixed his glasses, then stood up once more, determination flowing through his veins thick as blood.

"You dare stand in the way of Shampoo!"

Mousse lunged at the dark figure before him, though he did not quite know why.

* * *

><p><em>No, not more fighting, stop...stop...stop!<em>

Gosunkugi's mind roared in sheer panic. He felt so powerless laying there on the ground, barely keeping his wits around him enough to stay down. In the moments where he wasn't flinching near painfully from having a body fall too close to him, then bounce up and renew fighting, he was watching with eyes wide as saucers.

_I need to get out of here! I need to go...this was a stupid idea. Stupid stupid stupid! They're going to kill me! Don't they even realize what's going on here? Oh Akane...I'm sorry, but these brutes are going to kill me before I can..._

All thoughts of bravery were fading from him slowly as he watched the four fight, spilling surprisingly little blood. But spill it did, and he looked away from it with a sickening gasp. He had been an idiot to think he could just walk back and make things right. A complete and total idiot.

The purple haired one, Shampoo, wanted to kill him. He was fairly certain the black haired one (had Ryoga called him Mousse? Was that it?) wanted to kill him too, but he didn't know why. Most likely because Shampoo wanted him to. Shampoo seemed the type to give orders and expect them to be carried out. And Mousse...he had never seen Mousse before. Not that he could remember, at least. But here he was, fighting Ryoga, clearly on Shampoo's side. And clearly on the side of killing him.

The behaviour of Ukyo and Ryoga baffled him as well. They were protecting him. Why? Ryoga had been ready to kill him earlier; he didn't seem like the type to easily forgive, the same for Ukyo. Despite that she had gotten him out of the way, and urged him to stay low.

_She also ordered me not to go anywhere. She hissed at me. Maybe she wants me alive, but barely._

But the Chinese boy was looking at him now; curiously, almost, though his face was still burning with anger and determination. Gosunkugi felt his skin crawl under that cold, odd stare, with eyes on him magnified through thick, thick glasses. Eyes blue like a robin's egg; pale and cold, seeing and yet not, as was obvious by his need to wear such potent glasses. Yet Gosunkugi realized grimly just how little the lack of good eyesight hurt his ability in the Art, for a second later Ryoga dealt him a blow that would have killed Gosunkugi. Mousse, however, just got up and roared at Ryoga as though nothing had happened.

_I'm sorry...Akane...I'm sorry..._

* * *

><p>Blood flowed through Shampoo's veins like a flood; she could feel her heart pumping fast, feel air pass through her lungs and esophagus, feel the lightness of her feet and quickness of her hands. The thrill of battle had Shampoo prisoner, and despite the distraction from her plans she was enjoying this battle. Any chance to beat on the naive spatula-girl, who thought to steal her Ranma, was a chance to be taken. The foolish girl thought she could win, too. Shampoo wanted to laugh, but now was not the time to sit back and play the egotistical idiot. No, she had seen many a warrior fall because she enjoyed the battle too much, and held her own skills too high. Shampoo would take this seriously, and her victory would be sweet and swift.<p>

She would kill her, if she had to. It would be Ukyo's own fault; she was the one who had dared fight Shampoo, and got in her way. Ranma would understand. It was for vengeance, and vengeance was a very important part of Amazon life.

_Be patient, my dear Ranma. I'll uphold your honour. I'll win, and then kill the idiot who made you weak. And then...then I'll find a cure, for you._

With a small gasp, Shampoo deflected another one of the girl's spatula darts, responding with a kick aimed to her head. To Shampoo's surprise, she dodged just barely, swinging her massive battle spatula. Grinning savagely, Shampoo responded with a deadly blow, though missed Ukyo's head by mere inches, hitting her shoulder instead. This would take longer then Shampoo had originally thought, but no matter. Quickly taking in the fight between Mousse and Ryoga beside her while Ukyo stood up, Shampoo crouched, then turned back to face her opponent. Her partner was doing alright, for now, but she hoped he would finish off the pig-boy before she was done with Ukyo. It would just be humiliating if she had to take care of Ryoga, as well.

* * *

><p>Ukyo stood bravely, though her shoulder ached and she thought her left shin was bleeding. That didn't matter though; she was still capable of moving, and neither of the blows would kill her. Just slow her down. Despite the ferocity of Shampoo's attacks, she was fairly certain they were evenly matched. She could beat her. She knew she could, all she had to do was concentrate, and stay on her toes. Concentrate...<p>

_C'mon Kuonji...what would Ranma think if he saw this display? Show this Amazon what you're made of...,_ she chided, ignoring for the moment that Ranma probably wouldn't really realize what was going on in his current state. In fact, she wasn't sure if he cared. Oh, he probably didn't want either to die, or be hurt seriously. But now...

_Idiot! That's not important right now...no matter what happens, you're doing this to save Ranma. Not win his heart, not compete for attention, not care about whether he cares if you live or die. To save him. Concentrate._

She saw that Shampoo was smiling now, grimly; a small cut on her forehead bled, but it wasn't serious. She was winded, and that was helpful. The last few blows had seemed slow, as though Shampoo's mind was wandering. More then likely it was to Ranma, as was hers, but she never could be sure with Shampoo. Hadn't she been checking on Mousse, just now? But her face hadn't been concerned; Ukyo was fairly certain Shampoo didn't care for Mousse as more then a tool. But then, why check on him?

_Now, while she's distracted...lunge!_

Swift as a fox, Ukyo drew in a deep breath and lunged at the girl with her spatula high in the air. Her eyes gleamed as she brought the weapon down on her opponent. Hard. The sound of it hitting flesh and bone was sweet, but not sweet enough; Shampoo was still standing. Grimly, she turned around, and prepared for attack once more. Shampoo could be defeated. No, no. Shampoo would be defeated. By her own hands.

Gritting her teeth, she raised her weapon again and prepared for attack.

* * *

><p><em>I've got to end this...fast...<em>

Ryoga paused in his fight, looking over at Gosunkugi briefly. He was still on the ground where Ukyo had left him, watching intently. And shaking. Ryoga looked away as he deflected a kick from Mousse, then spun around, dealing a punch to the back of Mousse's head followed by another kick.

_But how?_

He could see Shampoo and Ukyo still fighting hard, Shampoo looking as though she had the upper hand for a moment, then switching to Ukyo. All four of them had fought each other enough times to know their strengths and weaknesses. It was more then hopeful to think they would finish this soon. Unless...

Ryoga continued to dodge Mousse, though occasionally took a few punches and kicks. He could take a lot of damage as long as it wasn't fast. Mousse wasn't nearly as fast as Ranma was; the only chance he had was if he could get Ryoga nailed down. But before he did that, Ryoga had an idea.

Taking a sudden leap backwards, Ryoga put a fire hydrant in between himself and Mousse. Quickly looking over at Ukyo, he waited until she was closer, willing her to force Shampoo towards him. _Come on...faster...no, over here! Arg..._

"What's wrong, Hibiki? Had enough?" panted Mousse, watching as Ryoga stayed in one place. Smirking, Ryoga raised his fists, daring Mousse to fight hand to hand. Ryoga's mind raced, making him angry, and confused. He knew what he was doing. Knew what he had to do, but if Mousse would only take the bait...just a little closer, and he could have Mousse trapped, and the situation in control.

"Hand to hand? You wish."

He was close enough now, though. Mousse's chains flew at him again, and he caught them with one arm, tugging Mousse towards him.

_Come on Ukyo...just a little closer...come on...perfect!_

Pulling Mousse practically on top of him, Ryoga formed a fist with the free hand, his index finger extended. With a wild look in his eye, he brought it crashing down on the hydrant, making it crack under the pressure of his breaking point attack. Immediately cold water rushed at them, and Ryoga broke free of the chains as Mousse was flung into the air. The world around him began to look so much bigger, and he felt lighter, shrinking down to the ground below him. The sound of water gushing was deafening, and he panted, trying to catch his breath. He was P-chan now. Small, black, good for nothing P-chan. With a squeak, he moved away from the hydrant, and looked over to where he had last seen Ukyo.

* * *

><p>"Ugh...ouch...coulda...warned me..."<p>

Ukyo lay flat on her back on the grass. Water was still falling down on her, making her shiver and motivating her to get up. Her arms and side ached at the motion, but she forced herself up anyway, and took in the sight around her.

The fire hydrant was destroyed, water still gushing from it like a fountain. Beside it, Ryoga, now P-chan, squealed as he looked at her. The pig had a cut on his ear and it looked like one of his rear legs was hurt, but otherwise seemed fine.

_What a brave...stupid...thick headed idiot! Risking himself like that! _Her eyes were locked with the small pig's a moment longer, barely believing she was looking into the eyes of Ryoga. It almost felt like when she was looking into the eyes of the female Ranma; below the surface, she could see the real boy. For the first time...she saw it. Saw Ryoga. She tilted her head at the sudden epiphany. Now she could look at P-chan and not see an animal? Maybe she had hit her head a bit hard, but she could swear she saw physical similarities, too. Odd ones, but all the same...something about that pig was finally Ryoga, to her.

But she didn't have time to appreciate her jump in perception. And suddenly she realized that the eyes she was staring into looked so tired, and almost...helpless. As though saying to her that he had done his part, and now she was supposed to act. Those eyes trusted her, and asked why she wasn't getting up already, and getting to her role.

Her eyes finally moved away from his, to the street. A small, white duck was laying on the road near the sidewalk, motionless. On the sidewalk, closer to her, a pink and white cat lay equally still, though her wet belly rose and fell in breath. She sighed with relief. Shampoo and Mousse had been subdued; they were alive, but knocked out. For now. How long would they have the upper hand for? She had to act, and fast; it was all up to her now. Ryoga had started it for her, trusted her, and now she had to finish and get them all back to the Nekohanten. And fast.

"Gosun...Gosunkugi?" she called, turning around to where she had left him. The boy was still laying there, mostly dry, trying to get to his feet. Ukyo felt relieved, but still gave him a hard look.

"What happened to them?" he asked, walking towards her. "They changed...bodies..." His eyes moved from the duck, to the cat, to the pig. They were so full of wonder, like a child almost. It contrasted greatly against the old, sickly appearance of his face.

"You know how Ranma-honey can change into a girl?"

He had to. The whole school knew about that, with the exception of Kuno.

"They're cursed..."

"Bingo. They're also knocked out, which is the important part. Hopefully it knocked some sense into them, too. Go get Mousse. That's that duck, in the street over there. Don't worry, he looks like he'll be out cold for a while. I'll take care of the others. You probably shouldn't be exposed to Shampoo yet, even if she is an unconscious cat."

She bent down to gingerly touch the soaking wet ball of pink fur. As she did so, P-chan trotted up to her, poking her in the ankle with his snout.

"Hey. Uhh...good job. That was...good."

_You're really in there, Ryoga. If only your eyes were a bit more human...but still...you're really in there...thank you. Thank you..._

She didn't voice the thoughts, as she deemed them too sentimental for the moment. Instead she gazed at him, feeling relief wash over her. The battle was over. The next stage was coming, and it would probably be hard, but the battle was over. Gosunkugi was safe, and so were they.

Scratching his ear, she accidently touched the cut, and froze. P-chan shrank back, though only slightly, and Ukyo moved her hand, her face apologetic.

"Ugh, you don't look much better then they do. If I carry Shampoo in my arms, can you stay balanced on my shoulder?"

P-chan nodded his head quickly, so Ukyo picked him up, setting him on her left shoulder. Then she carefully picked up the soaking cat. She was careful for two reasons; one, she wasn't sure how badly the cat-girl was hurt, and two, she didn't want to fall victim to her claws and teeth should she really be awake. The cat was genuinely knocked out, though, and Ukyo stood up, Shampoo in her arms and P-chan comfortably perched on her shoulder, bitting down on her collar to stay balanced.

"Gosunkugi?" she called, watching as the boy walked over to her, the duck cradled carefully in his thin arms. The odd look was still in his eye, as though he couldn't believe such a powerful person had morphed into such a tiny animal. She knew that was what he was thinking, because she had thought it herself the first time she had seen Mousse change. And Shampoo, and Ryoga. Yet she had not voiced anything at those times, too stricken to know what to say.

"They look so defenseless like this."

"Don't get any ideas. They may look defenseless, but once awake they're almost as strong as they are when human." P-chan let go of her collar long enough to make a low squeal, as though agreeing, then regained his grip.

"I need you to come with us. There are things you didn't tell us, about the curse," said Ukyo, staring down into his eyes. This was the moment of truth, she realized. She had to be firm, and stay on top of things. One small slip, and...she could lose everything. She could hardly just punch him in the head and carry him in too, could she? She didn't want to have to. No, looking down at this boy, she wanted him to just follow her. Willingly. Do the right thing, and stop being the idiot.

Their eyes locked for a long time; so long that she heard Ryoga softly protest, breaking the spell on her side at least. Gosunkugi still stared up at her, his eyes scared, unsure, and ashamed. Near enough to the same eyes she had dealt with earlier to make her hand twitch for her battle spatula. But...it wasn't the time for violence. No, he would go willingly. He would go, and let her lead, and...

"I know. I figured. I was actually on my way to the Nekohanten, but I...I hadn't decided if I'd go in, yet."

"Hadn't decided? Don't you realize what you've done?"

How could he not realize? Oh, he would most certainly realize, by the time she was done with him. She'd show him the world of pain she had been exposed to all day, all because of his meddling curse. The stupid boy, how could he be so ignorant? Hadn't decided, had he? Ukyo's eyes hardened, and she felt a snarl coming on, but kept it at bay. Barely. It looked like he was going to speak again.

"I didn't. Not at first. I wanted to hurt Ranma; Ranma and Kuno. Akane is hurt too, though, isn't she?" She sensed that he knew the answer already. The snarl faded, and she felt her control come back. And, thankfully, her maturity. He was concerned. He'd go peacefully, she was fairly certain now.

"She's weak. And there are...complications. They need you to reverse the curse. Are you coming?" He hesitated, then looked back over at the hydrant, still gushing water.

"It wasn't really a question. You're coming with me, but do I have to take you by force, or do we go peacefully?"

Gosunkugi winced as her hand twitched for her weapon. _No violence...just lead, and he'll follow. He needs a leader. You can be a leader, Ukyo...so...lead._

"Just come on, already. We're almost there," she said, starting out towards the café. To her relief he joined her, walking a pace beside her, his eyes on Mousse. They were thoughtful eyes, searching eyes. Eyes that were realizing things that maybe he didn't want to be realizing right now. Ukyo didn't feel pity for him; she couldn't feel pity for such a person. Still...

"Will Shampoo still try and kill me, after?" Ukyo looked down at the wet cat in her arms and watched her breathe slowly.

"Try to? Probably. But succeed? It really depends on what Ranma does. He would never let Shampoo kill anyone. If he's firm enough about it with her, she might not."

"Ranma would never protect me...not anymore." Somehow this comment triggered her anger, and she did snarl at him, causing him to recoil and flush at the reaction.

"He'd protect you if you needed it. Ranma may seem like a jerk sometimes, but...he's not. Not really. He has his morals."

That was something she always liked about him; he may talk tough, and be arrogant, and berate others, but when it really came down to a situation where you needed him...he was always there for you. Without fail.

"I hope so. I don't want to have to leave Nerima over this."

They continued the rest of the way in silence, getting the occasional stare from a pedestrian wondering what they were doing carrying three wet animals down the street.

They entered from the side entrance of the restaurant, quietly running up the stairs to where she suspected the private rooms were. After a few peeks behind doors, Ukyo found a bathroom and had Gosunkugi set Mousse down on the floor. P-chan jumped down from her shoulder easily then trotted over to Mousse, poking at him experimentally with his snout.

"Run some hot water, but don't stay in here for long. Ryoga may have helped you, but you don't have his trust. Go to the hallway and wait for me there." She felt oddly heavier now, despite how she had managed to release her tension earlier. And older. So, so much older. It wasn't a feeling she relished.

P-chan bared his fangs at Gosunkugi, as though to confirm this, and she left the bathroom after she had filled a small bucket with hot water for Shampoo.

"Now where is your bedroom, Amazon Princess," said Ukyo mockingly, looking in the other four rooms up there. On the third try she found a room with a small bed, decorated in blues and greens. It took her eyes a moment to figure out whether it was a girl's room or a boy's, and decided when she saw one of Shampoo's dresses hanging over a chair.

Setting the bucket down on the ground, Ukyo placed the cat on the center of the bed. Once satisfied with her position, she picked up the bucket and slowly poured water onto the small body. It grew before her eyes, fur fading into skin, paws changing into limbs, ears changing and hair growing on her head. Quickly, Ukyo placed a sheet over Shampoo's naked body, then left the room, closing the door behind her. She saw Gosunkugi in the hall and nodded to him, then knocked on the bathroom door. Everything felt very routine now, very ritual-like. So normal and mundane that it wasn't, somehow.

"Ryoga? I'm taking Gosunkugi to Cologne. I'll be back to help you with Mousse in a minute," she said quickly, leaving as soon as she heard an affirmative response from the now human Ryoga. Grabbing Gosunkugi by the sleeve, she pulled him down the hall and then downstairs, this time turning to go to the room where Cologne was with Ranma and Akane. She didn't know what to think, at this point. Her mind stayed blank; she didn't want to hope that things would be alright, but at the same time, she craved the hope. Wanted it to bloom in her mind, and give her peace. Instead she opened the door to Cologne roughly, pushing Gosunkugi in front of her.

"We found him."

Ukyo took in the sight of the Old Ghoul in the center of the room, and Akane and Ranma meditating off to one side. Still. She wondered if maybe she should not have him in there with them right now, but it probably couldn't be helped.

_Maybe she's been preparing them for it...they haven't opened their eyes, and their auras haven't changed,_ she realized, glancing at the dolls.

"Thank you. I was hoping one of you would be reliable, though I thought it would be my Shampoo. Is she with you?" asked Cologne, ignoring Gosunkugi for the time being.

"She's upstairs. There was a...fight. Shampoo and Mousse are knocked out, but they should be fine," said Ukyo, looking uncomfortably over at Ranma. He hadn't acknowledged her at all, though he had to recognize her voice.

"A fight? You'll have to tell me about it later. Gosunkugi! It's about time you showed yourself. Come here, and sit. We have much to talk about."

Ukyo tried to feel nothing as she headed back up to the floor she had left the others at, but the feeling of emptiness, of blankness, was still there. It wasn't the same thing as nothing. Nothing just wasn't as soul-wrenching as emptiness.

Once upstairs she went into one of the rooms that she took to be Mousse's, and grabbed a large, white robe that was hanging in the closet. Quietly walking to the hall again, a thought suddenly crossed her mind, and made her flush. Ryoga would need clothing, too. Remembering where he had left his pack, she went back downstairs, out to the kitchen.

"Ukyo!" called three voices before she even thought she was visible. In near the same places they had been in earlier, Kodachi, Kuno and Nabiki were all looking at her expectantly, and perhaps irritably as well.

"Uh...hi," she said, seeing Ryoga's pack on the floor. She grabbed it, letting his heavy umbrella fall noisily to the side as she slung the pack onto her shoulder. Up like a flash, Nabiki walked over to her, her eyes demanding answers.

"What's going on? You were gone for hours."

"Everything's okay now, don't worry," said Ukyo, starting to head for the stairway. Now wasn't the time to explain everything to Nabiki. Ryoga still needed her, and so did Mousse, and then...and then she could come back and explain. But first, she had things to do, and she couldn't let Nabiki keep her for long.

"Are you sure? You don't look so confident." As she often did, Nabiki had hit the nail on the head. Ukyo inhaled deeply, then turned back to Akane's sister.

"I'll explain later. Just keep the Kunos busy a little while longer, okay?"

Nabiki appeared to debate this as Ukyo watched nervously. She didn't know what it was about Nabiki that made her nervous, though the ever present calm expression may have been part of it. Finally, Nabiki allowed a small smile to grace her face, then nodded.

"Okay. I think Kuno has a few more yen that I can win from him, anyway," she said, letting Ukyo go back upstairs. She thought she heard Nabiki asking about another game of poker before she was out of hearing range, and knocking on the door to the bathroom she had left Mousse and Ryoga behind.

"Ryoga?"

"Yeah?"

"I have your pack and some clothes for Mousse. Put on a towel, I'm gonna open the door," she commanded, then counted down from five to give him time to do that.

_Five...four...three...two...one..._

Trying to keep her mind from wandering, she slid the door open by about a foot, feeling the steam of the bath seep around her ankles. She shoved the pack and robe into the room, setting them against the wall inside before closing the door just as fast. Exhaling, she wore an expression of great accomplishment. She had delivered the clothes. One of the easiest tasks of the day, and she had done it almost flawlessly. She wanted to laugh at herself as she leaned against the hall wall, watching the door and waiting. Laughter would feel good, about now. She couldn't remember the last time she had done that, and now she craved it like vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.

_We'll make it...we'll make it...the end is in sight. We'll make it._

She only wished she could make the tingling of her ki calm down enough for her to relax and really believe it.


	14. The Nekohanten

**Part 4: For Love and Honour**

**Chapter 1: The Nekohanten**

Ranma had his eyes closed. He had an idea of what was going on around him, but only barely. The old woman was still in the room of course; she had never left. Even without his aura, he could still sense her presence, hear her shuffling about the room, no doubt uncaring if they heard. The air around them was thick with her, but there was more too.

Someone else had been there, just now. Ukyo. The old woman had said her name, and Ranma knew who that person was. His memory was improving, since Cologne had them swimming in the nothingness. Yes, Ukyo was a childhood friend of Ranma's. Sweet girl, but had odd ideas about where his heart lay. Whenever he thought about it more, a dizzy spell tried to claim him, and he quickly concentrated on the nothingness again. Being weak was awful, and annoying, and every minute spent weak was a minute less that he was living, but he still had his reflexes. He wasn't completely gone. No, not Ranma Saotome. Not just yet.

Ranma had his eyes closed but his ears were wide open, despite Cologne's orders. He could hear Akane sitting a few feet away, breathing lightly. Was she having trouble? He almost felt sorry for her; she seemed to be having a hard time adjusting to being away from Kuno. But Akane had been weaker then him, before their auras were drained. If anything, he reasoned, she was faring better then he, so there was no reason to be worried about the tomboy. Still, he could be sympathetic. Kodachi was far away from him now. That's who he did love, wasn't it? Who he was supposed to protect? He was ashamed to admit that he wasn't sure anymore.

When he had first seen Kodachi early that morning, his feelings had been obvious in his heart. He wanted Kodachi, plain and simple. A dizzy spell came at the remembrance of the pain, but he let it come, quickly dodging over to the nothingness again. It was almost like a game, now. Remembrance, pain, dodging. Remembrance, pain, dodging...

Suddenly he realized that he had lost complete track of his thoughts, and struggled to discipline his mind. It was getting harder to concentrate, as though there was something luring him to get distracted. It was probably the curse, still, but...

He fought to keep his eyes closed, knowing who was in the room now. That voice, of course! Ukyo had shoved...Gosunkugi...Cologne had said his name too, but he hadn't heard it properly, he had been so focused on staying in the nothing. Gosunkugi was in the room now, and Ranma clenched his fists. That's what the whispering was; he allowed his ears to open further, foolishly ignoring Cologne's training to keep them closed. After a few words to confirm, he made himself drift away again, let himself hear a buzz of noise rather then actual words. It was just a matter of setting his mind to the right mode, of ignoring and concentrating elsewhere. To protect him and his memories.

But Gosunkugi was there and alive. Ranma desperately wanted to remedy that, but he knew he was weak right then. Maybe even too weak to go up against Gosunkugi, unfortunately. It was a struggle, but in the end Ranma thought he was winning. He had to be winning, he just had to...

He let out a low groan as a dizzy spell claimed him once again. Silently, he began to pray to whatever gods were listening to just give him back his strength already, so he could beat Gosunkugi to a pulp and save his Kodachi. He just couldn't keep his eyes closed to the raw facts much longer.

* * *

><p>Akane shifted in her lotus position irritably, feeling a dizzy spell come on. What was that groan that idiot just let out? Was he disobeying Cologne again and thinking bad things? She had always known Ranma was a moron when it came to simple instructions, but this just went beyond his normal powers of ignorance.<p>

_He's getting what he deserves..._

But she still didn't want to just leave him like that. What was she going to do if he was knocked out? What if his battle aura stayed inside the voodoo doll? Certainly, she'd be rid of the obstacle to Kuno that was her engagement to Ranma Saotome, but...she didn't want him out of the picture. Not completely, not just like that. Of course, she'd never admit that to anyone. Never in her life would she...

Suddenly she realized what had most likely made him groan like that. Gosunkugi was in the room. For some reason it didn't hurt her as much as it did Ranma to realize this, and she rationalized that it was because her memories of their classmate were different. She wasn't so passionate about wanting to kill him, or quick to mark him as the villain. He did annoy her, and she wasn't exactly willing to forgive and forget, but she had control over her temper. For now, at least.

Hearing Ranma's groans cease and his normal breathing return, she schooled her mind back to the nothingness. Not the emptiness, as she had first done; that wasn't what they were trying to do. Emptiness was the lack of everything. It did include extreme emotions, like pain and anger, but it was too much. Complete emptiness, in humans especially as young as they were, would lead to despair. And despair would only bind them to their cruel fates. No, the nothingness was not the same as emptiness at all. It wasn't really empty...it was just nothing. Peace, almost, though not really, as too long in the nothingness could drive one insane. But Cologne had assured them that they wouldn't be there too long; only a day at most, she hoped. Maybe two. A wave of dizziness had come over her at the thought of two, but she had dodged it easily. Despite the lack of her aura, she was still a martial artist. This was still a battle that Akane Tendo could fight, and she would see it through to the bitter end.

No matter what outcome fate decided to throw at her, she would stand and fight, like the true stubborn girl she was.

* * *

><p>For possibly the sixtieth time that day Nabiki Tendo dealt the cards, trying not to let the bored look in her eyes show to her two prisoners. They were her prisoners, weren't they? And she the warden? But prisoners weren't usually this nice to their keeper, and their eyes merely spoke of trying to be polite in the presence of an inept host. Despite how they also occasionally flickered to the door and, since Ukyo's appearance, the stairway too. How much longer did Ukyo expect her to wait, anyway? She had allowed it earlier, since she was making money and probably in some obscure way helping her sister, but this was not what she signed up for. Ukyo and Ryoga had talked as though it would just take a couple of hours. Maybe. That had gone by long, long ago.<p>

She watched as Kodachi began to yawn and tried to be ladylike about it. Raising her hand, turning her head, closing her eyes. The yawn that came forth would still challenge a lion's roar in size, and Nabiki had to fight back her own yawn at the sight of it. Although she hated to admit it, she was getting tired too. This was long, dreary work, waiting. Convincing the Kunos every half hour or so that things would be okay, and that they should wait, just a little longer. That no, it wasn't some trick, and she didn't know what was taking Cologne so long, but she was certain that something would come up soon. They just had to wait. Be patient.

Nabiki sniffed, looking at her own hand of cards. A full house. She would have been pleased, though soberly, if it wasn't just one of twenty-some odd full houses for her already today. Cards were starting to get on her nerves. She wanted...food. Maybe some sushi. Something expensive, to make her feel like she wasn't wasting her time here. Eyeing Kuno without raising her head, she wondered how much money he had left. A lot of it had already transferred from his wallet to hers, but he had to still have some. Didn't he? She could hardly pay for her own food, and he looked like he might be hungry too.

"Hey, Kuno-baby," said Nabiki, watching as Kuno's eyes leapt up from scrutinizing his cards. She was surprised at the wild look that she saw there; was the odd memory thing that she had heard about earlier happening to them too? But she had kept them so passive; even when they lost, they didn't seem to mind. Or even seemed surprised. Really, if they won, they would be more happy then they would be sad from losing, and that was just as bad. Or so she had been told.

Forcing herself to look beyond the wildness in his eyes, she noted something else; a complete willingness to be distracted. Yes, Nabiki clearly wasn't the only one bored with cards, and she couldn't blame them. Losing all day wasn't that much fun. Not for them, at least.

"Yes, Nabiki Tendo?" Beside him, Kodachi shifted her position, looking at the cards in her hand as though they were completely alien. Putting a small smile on her face, Nabiki leaned back, stretching her shoulders.

"You look like you've had enough of cards. Have you? Because I know I have. I have something else we can do." Like a Christmas tree, his eyes lit up and immediately he put his hand to his head as a dizzy spell overtook him. Still, though, he looked gratefully at Nabiki, and was about to put down his cards, then hesitated. Frowning, he leaned back in his seat, looking at his cards.

"You seek to trick me, yet again. I told you, I will not fall for it once more," he said, sounding like a beaten dog who had finally noticed what it was that caused his master to hit him with the rolled up newspaper. Sighing, Nabiki put down her cards face up for the both of them to see, preparing for a dramatic monologue.

"Not a trick. Would I pull a trick? You think so little of me Kuno-baby. Here I am, just trying to keep you entertained while you wait for Cologne. All day spent here, just for you two, just to keep you safe, and keep your minds from harm. Don't you think this is hard on me too? Don't you know how much I'm suffering here, with the waiting? Who do you think I am, some sort of cruel, ice cold card shark, preying on you in your moment of weakness? You really...think that badly of me? After all we've been through?" She forced a tearful shine into her eyes, widening them as much as she could. It was a good act, though perhaps a little cheesy. Yet Kuno always fell for it. As did most of the people she knew in Nerima.

"Don't be an idiot, brother dear. And so ungracious! How dare you," sniffed Kodachi. Nabiki mentally thanked her unknowing back up, but didn't take her large, innocent eyes away from Kuno. He looked up at her, his eyebrows raised in curiosity. However, he did look down to Nabiki's cards, then added his on top. One pair. She would have definitely won, provided Kodachi had a similarly bad hand. Maybe she...

"Nabiki Tendo, forgive me! For a maiden such as yourself to sacrifice her whole day for my sake..." He stood up now, his eyes focused on the ceiling, his expression tragic enough to make Nabiki want to vomit. But she held it in and quickly got up, grabbing Kuno's sleeve and guiding him to the phone at the counter.

"I'll...try. But it's so hard...and I'm...so hungry. Hey, aren't you hungry too, Kuno-baby?" She mentally scolded herself for changing her tone near the end of the sentence too fast. Kuno was too far into the act to notice though; instead he followed her obediently, looking as though he were in anguish over his behaviour.

_Oh no, this is not good...I need to get him to stop before he hurts himself._

"Why don't you order us some food? Like...like sushi! Oh, I would feel so much better with some sushi. It would...maybe...make up for the way you're treating me, too," she said, looking away and lifting her hand to her mouth like a proper maiden to hide a creeping smile. Immediately Kuno lifted the phone and began to dial, then slammed it down again.

"But I have no money!" Nabiki wanted to slap herself in the head. Of course, she DID have it all. But it wouldn't do for her to pay.

_Think Nabiki...think...Kuno's rich, he's gotta have something...maybe a credit card?_

"And you have no...credit?" she asked, sniffing with just the right amount of delicacy. A light shone in Kuno's eyes as he fetched his wallet and picked up the phone once more. Bowing from the waist to hide her sudden smirk, Nabiki left him to the phone and walked back to the chair.

"Remember Kuno...three deluxe sushi. And something to drink, too," she said, sitting back down quickly. Kodachi was shooting her a questioning look now. Was she not as slow as her brother? Forcing the shine back to her eyes, Nabiki put on an expression somewhere between being extremely put out, and gratitude. Kodachi, clearly still battling something, put a hand to her head and quickly leaned back. Satisfied, Nabiki kept the put out maiden expression on her face, but inside she glowed. Ryoga and Ukyo would still have their own debts to her - and she would make sure they payed up - but this was really going to hit the spot.

As Kuno was putting down the phone, her ears picked up the sound of one or more people quickly walking down the stairs. Quickly looking over, she watched as Ukyo stepped down into view, her expression giving away that she was quite worn out. Behind her, Ryoga was finger combing still damp hair, his bangs clinging to his forehead. His expression was equally as worn out, if not more upset then that of Ukyo. But there was something else that was hidden just beneath the surface. All maidenly looks faded as she frowned, scrutinizing them. Had Ryoga been following her all day like that? Maybe Ukyo was just being a good guide, but...

"I trust you're going to give me some news," said Nabiki matter-of-factly as she began to organize the cards. Kodachi tossed her own hand over to her, clearly starting to give up on staying awake as she let her eyelids droop.

"Of course HE is," said Ukyo with forced sweetness as she pushed Ryoga in front of her. Ryoga turned his head to give Ukyo a pleading look, but Ukyo's solid face was like a mask. It stayed worn out, determined, and was not at all affected by the sad puppy dog eyes that Ryoga was, probably unconsciously, gracing her with. _And their body language...what was with all the tugging? And pushing?_ Something had happened between those two, and Nabiki wanted to find out what it was. First though, she had other questions that needed answering.

"I'm sure he's just dying to tell me. Oh, Kuno-baby? Can you call the restaurant again, please? We'll need another order for Ryoga, here." She thought she heard Ukyo chuckle dryly as the girl headed back upstairs. Kuno leaped back to the phone, still eager for forgiveness, though she wondered if he remembered what for.

Keeping a small smile at bay, Nabiki walked up to Ryoga, staying out of earshot from Kodachi. For him, she put on her real expression. Well, close enough to it. She schooled her face to being blank, determined, but still pleasant enough to not seek revenge for keeping her in the dark. For now. He was easily cornered to the wall without her having to lay a finger on him, and quickly she turned around to see Kuno on the phone and Kodachi leaning back in her chair, eyes closed. Slowly, she turned back to Ryoga, her eyes curious and questioning.

"So, Ryoga...tell me...everything."

_Hold on just a little longer, Akane...I've done my part, now I just have to hope everyone else has been just as good about doing their bits._

But she had a hard time keeping her expression from darkening as Ryoga slowly, in low tones, began to tell her everything that had happened since he had last left her.

* * *

><p>The door was definitely in her way. She stared at it again, at the simple carving of wood. Old wood, painted brown. Was that a chip on one side of it? Ukyo frowned, knowing she was stalling. Knowing absolutely that she was stalling as she traced her finger around the place where the chip revealed a grayer shade of paint. Her mind, unlike her stubborn body, was ready to walk into that room, take her position and then...what? Watch? Wait? Listen? She didn't know. What she did know was that Ranma-honey...<p>

_And Akane. Don't pull a Ryoga now. Ranma-honey and Akane..._

...were sitting in that room, possibly still doing that meditation technique. Cologne was there as well, no doubt perched on her cane as though she were queen of the world. And of course, Gosunkugi was in there. Probably crouched in a corner, shaking like the coward he was.

_Yet he's in there and you're still out here examining a paint chip, Kuonji._

She wasn't out there because she was afraid. She was out there because she was nervous. Maybe a touch afraid, deep down, but mostly nervous. And scared for Ranma. Akane too, she conceded. Although a part of her wanted to know what was going on, another...didn't. Another part of her wanted to be protected from it, shielded. Wanted to go back downstairs and hide behind her role of being Ryoga's guide. That had been a confident role, despite her moment of weakness earlier that day. Lead around the super strong pig boy by the nose, dish out orders, fight the good fight, secretly feeling in charge the whole time. Not so alone, and scared, and childish.

Sighing, she took hold of herself and lifted a hand to the knob. Their period of rest, brief as it was, was over. They were over the hump; Gosunkugi was retrieved, Shampoo and Mousse stopped, and now things could be okay. All she had to do was go in the room, and wait.

Coaxing herself gently with the promise of explanations - if Cologne bothered to notice her, that is - she turned the knob slowly, pushing the door open. She closed the door behind her, slowly taking in the room. It felt heavy with anxiety, and warm from bodies being in there for so long.

To one side, Ranma and Akane were still sitting a few feet apart from each other on mats. Their eyes were closed and they weren't interacting. Her heart fluttered at the sight of Ranma, looking so determined to stay still. She calmed it quickly, her eyes moving to the equally determined face of Akane. The uncute fiancee. Ukyo bit back her scowl, remembering the danger that Akane, too, bordered on. Now was not the time for her to be petty. Now was the time for her to be strong, and grown up. But the childishness was slow to leave, and she had to force her eyes away from her former rival, turning to look at the other side of the room.

Cologne stood perched on her cane as she had imagined her, her eyes fiery, and her posture speaking of great authority. She glared down at Gosunkugi, who was surprisingly not shaking. Instead he sat rigid in a chair, no doubt with muscles tensed. He was saying something to her quietly. Cologne nodded at intervals, then gestured for Ukyo to come closer without batting an eye.

Ukyo jumped, having gotten used to being ignored for the small amount of time she was there. Obediently, she walked up to the two, stopping to take her place a few feet from Gosunkugi. The latter did not look up at her for a moment, but she noticed him start to shake. Ukyo smiled grimly.

_So he's not afraid of the old ghoul anymore, but still afraid of me?_

Feeling her confidence restore itself, she cracked her knuckles, looking over to Cologne. To her satisfaction, Gosunkugi gulped, but Cologne ruined it by frowning at her.

"Ukyo. And Ryoga is guarding our two...guests downstairs?" Her voice didn't match her old, withered body; it was that of a woman, maybe middle aged, with all the confidence and strength in the world. Ukyo nodded, keeping her head low now and ignoring the boy who sat near her.

"He is, and explaining things to Nabiki."

"Nabiki...Akane's sister is still here then. I would have thought she'd go home when Ryoga took her place," said Cologne, idly fixing her robes.

"I don't think so...she's worried about Akane. She'll stay." A small smirk came over Cologne's carefully blank face, then disappeared before Ukyo was sure it was there. The old ghoul didn't trust Nabiki? Or perhaps she just didn't know her well enough. Ukyo was fairly certain that as long as Akane was in danger, Nabiki would stick around.

_Besides, she seems to be making money downstairs...and taking advantage of Kuno...she'll stay, alright._

"Any progress?" asked Ukyo, quickly changing the subject. Although she didn't indicate who she meant, the old woman seemed to understand, and nodded. Ranma and Akane.

"They're fine for now; I have them doing an ancient Chinese technique. Waiting in the nothingness. If they're doing it right, they can't even really hear us now; we're only background noise. It's kept them passive, and unemotional. But unfortunately...it can't be held forever," said the old ghoul, looking over at Gosunkugi as the light in her eyes fired up again.

"Gosunkugi was just telling me about his curse, and how he combined curses. Him! Combining curses isn't for anyone as young and tender as such a boy," she hissed, leaning forward. Ukyo watched as Gosunkugi scrambled to lean back as far as he could from the old woman, and found herself both amused by his reaction and disgusted with Cologne for provoking it.

"I'm sorry already! I told you, I just want to help now."

Ukyo rolled her eyes, unsure what to believe. She did want to believe him, of course. But that was hoping, and hoping, as she was learning, was a good way to set yourself up for disappointment.

"Then help. You were saying, about the extra curse. The one you reserved for my son-in-law and Kuno."

Ukyo's eyes darkened, and she felt her hand ball itself into a fist.

_Yes, Gosunkugi...keep giving me reasons to want to beat your sorry ass._ She turned her eyes to the boy, who shook under her own gaze as well as Colognes. This time, Ukyo felt herself less disgusted by Cologne's actions.

"W-well...It was...umm...y-you see...would you both stop looking at me like that!" he said loudly, then caught himself, putting a hand over his mouth and muttering softly. A quick check over to Ranma and Akane confirmed that they may have heard, but were still in the nothingness. Their auras glowed cooly on the voodoo dolls, unconcerned. Sighing, Ukyo turned back to Gosunkugi, forcing her face to soften.

"Fine, we won't look at you. Ukyo?" Cologne gave Ukyo an order to comply just by saying her name. Irritably, Ukyo looked down at her shoes, and saw Cologne looking at the wall out of the corner of her eye. Hearing Gosunkugi take a deep breath, she waited for him to begin again.

"I wanted to...give them a taste of what I have, every day. The dullness. The curse...it...takes away memories. No, not take away. Veils. Whenever a cursed person tries to call up a memory that has an extreme emotion...great happiness, great sadness, great anger...they become dizzy. Their mind fogs up instinctively, as though to block access to the memory, and the person can't read it. So they eventually lose complete access to the memory; the more they try, the foggier it gets."

As his words set in, Ukyo felt her heart beat faster. Her eyes were wide enough to pop out, and her jaw was hurting from being so forcefully shut.

_That's what Ranma-honey...oh no...no..._

The thought of such a curse made her sick. It would allow the person to live, certainly...but without such memories...what was a person? What was...

Noticing that Gosunkugi was still talking, she forced her thoughts to cease and bit her lip.

"If something makes a cursed person have an extreme emotion, it will stay in the mind for a few minutes. But then the fog will get it, and wrap it up tightly. Leaving the person feeling...dull...and probably confused. Unmotivated. Just like..."

It felt like he was going to say 'just like me', but he had finished before saying 'me'. Slowly, she waited for him to continue, but he didn't. Ukyo looked up to see his pale, pale face frozen in an expression of worry, and fear. His large eyes were partially closed, and a tear was threatening to fall down his left cheek.

Pity rose up in her, but it was short-lived. Anger soon replaced it, joining the horror at the thought of what the spell was doing to Ranma. And probably to Akane and the others, too.

"You...you...," she began, but didn't know what to say. She wanted to call him down to the lowest, for what he was trying to do. So he had a pitiful life; so he was unhappy. So the one person he loved didn't know he existed. Was that really reason to try and inflict that existence on others? Was there any reason to do that, to anyone?

"I thought, for a minute, that I pitied you...but now..." Her voice ice, and daggers, and shrapnel, but she couldn't finish. Her eyes didn't want to look into his anymore. Her hand ached to slap his face, but it didn't. Deliberately, she made herself turn around and look at the wall.

"So that is the third curse...Southern Tibetan in origin...," she heard Cologne say softly.

"I-it is? You know it? I just...read it..." If Gosunkugi hadn't been scared before, he sounded properly cowed now.

"First lesson, child; never perform a curse unless you know absolutely everything you can about it. Only the truly ignorant plunge in head first, as you did. Your plan was destined to blow up before you even started."

_Destined to blow up...yet Ranma and Akane walked right into it, trusting him. Why? Were they so eager to get rid of their problems? Maybe if I hadn't been home that day, I'd be downstairs too with Kuno and Kodachi..._

The thought disturbed her, but it didn't seem entirely unreasonable. It was by chance that she hadn't been in school, yesterday. Or for the Monday and Friday before that. Maybe if she had been there, she would have been included in the plan too. Maybe Ranma had...

_No! He's your childhood friend...he wouldn't...but..._

She forced her thoughts to cease violently as a bubble of a sob threatened to come up, and tuned back into Cologne's low, now calmer voice.

"...circle of flame, just as you did earlier. Wait here as I gather the candles. Ukyo?" At the sound of her name, Ukyo whirled to look at Cologne, who looked taken aback by the expression on her face. Forcing the emotions away, she made herself feel empty as she gazed at Cologne.

"Girl...light the candles as I set them down," said Cologne, handing her a small box of matches. Ukyo took them wordlessly, stepping back to wait as Cologne guided Gosunkugi to the center of the room and had him sit on the floor.

The old ghoul then left the room for a moment, and Ukyo stared at the wall, forcing her thoughts down. Gosunkugi said nothing. He just sat, waiting like her, and Ukyo was glad for that. For if he had said one word, she was sure her battle spatula would be bashing in his skull within a millisecond.

The four said nothing, and waited in silence. She hadn't expected anything from Ranma and Akane, still in the nothingness. Were they even aware of them? Or were they fighting to ignore?

Thankfully, the old woman soon came back, her arms full of wide, low white candles. She set them down in a circle around Gosunkugi, and Ukyo followed after, obediently lighting each one. The flame sparked up - the most alive thing in the room - for all eight of the candles. Once done, Ukyo wandered back over to the chair Gosunkugi had been in earlier and stood beside it, clasping her hands behind her back.

It was time for her to wait. Again.

* * *

><p>Gosunkugi tried to keep himself from shaking, but he doubted it was working. What had he been thinking, putting himself in such danger? Here he was, sitting in a room again with four talented martial artists. Well no, that wasn't accurate. Only two...<p>

_Cologne said it would only take one of them, half asleep on the worst day of their life, to take me out..._

...had their powers now. Thanks to him, Ranma and Akane were lacking their skills in the art. He doubted he could take either, still, but he had to keep things in perspective. One really powerful martial artist, who called him a fool and a child every few minutes and seemed to only barely tolerate him, and another mildly powerful one, who he guessed was only not killing him because she knew he was needed to help Ranma and Akane.

_Gee, putting things into perspective certainly helped..._

Sarcasm aside, he closed his eyes, finding his center. He had to try and remember the words. But Cologne had said something about them being not necessary. How could he undo a curse without the words? Wasn't that one of the most important parts?

Opening his eyes slowly, he looked at Ranma and Akane, and cringed. Even like this, Ranma looked powerful enough to kick him to China without batting an eye. Then there was Akane. Still now, so weak and confused, her beauty and determination sent him reeling. Only his bitterness towards himself at putting her in such a state kept him grounded. He had to focus. He had to remember the words, and...

"Gosunkugi," said the old woman from beside him, though outside the circle of candles. She pronounced each syllable of his surname with care, as though storing it in her memory. Or trying to intimidate him. Guessing it was the latter, he turned his head slightly to look at her. Oddly enough, he was getting used to her being there. She wasn't nearly as frightening as she had been earlier. Unless she glared at him, or leaned towards him, or aimed her cane at him...

Gosunkugi swallowed, and felt the collar of his shirt tighten somehow, even though it hadn't actually moved.

"Y-yes?"

"From what you have told me of your curse...I have drawn a conclusion. A conclusion that I don't like, but one all the same." He felt his skin crawl.

_Getting used to her?_ his brain mocked viciously.

"You have?"

"I have. There was an important part to the curse that you missed completely. My son-in-law was telling me earlier how you had tried cursing before, but it never worked. He told me, as best he could remember without hurting himself, about your repeated attempts that left you a sorry failure, time and time again. And you have told me, twice today, what you had done. I know why your curses fail, and it is not merely because of your youth."

Licking his lips, he thought about what the old woman was telling him. She...knew? She could help him? It was true that this was the most successful curse so far, but...

_There can't be just one thing that I've been missing all these times...and she can see it? That easily? What did I do differently?_

The thought worried him, and he tried to avert his eyes but found he couldn't. He was hypnotized.

"Do you know what ki is, Gosunkugi?" Her voice sounded oddly casual.

"Oh, uh, of course. Martial artists use it, it's their battle aura." Cologne nodded, but she wore a frown.

"Close, but inaccurate. The battle aura is made of the ki, certainly, but the ki is not the battle aura. Think of the battle aura as the by-product of one's ki. Everyone has ki. To live, one must have it. But...not everyone has a battle aura." As though to demonstrate, he saw her suddenly start to glow, red and black light coming from her like electricity. It sparked and sputtered noiselessly, filling him with awe, wonder and fear.

_I have...ki? But I can't do that..._

As though sensing his thoughts, Cologne chuckled. The aura disappeared.

"That was a contained form of my battle aura. Just a taste. Ukyo can do it too, though less powerfully, as can Shampoo, Mousse and Ryoga. And so can the four whose auras you have contained..." Gosunkugi's eyes suddenly sought out the voodoo dolls, and he felt a shiver as he finally understood the power that was laying there. The power he had stolen. They glowed menacingly, shades of blues and greens and purples. Swallowing dryly, he tried to turn and look back over at Cologne.

_But I...I don't have that sort of power...I couldn't..._

He felt very, very sick, and shook as though he would have a seizure.

"No, you can't do that. And I'm not suggesting you could ever learn, either. What I'm suggesting is a little different..." There was a small, mysterious smile on her face that both intrigued and scared him to the bone. Walking around the circle, though never entering, she put herself in between him, and Ranma and Akane.

"Your ki is very different..."

"It is?"

"There is absolutely no potential whatsoever for a battle aura. That is different. However, your ki can produce another...by-product." The words haunted him, and he unconsciously leaned forward, his curiosity piqued enough to dispel his fear.

"Magic," she finished, her voice barely a whisper.

The word felt soft and velvety on his ears, and he tasted it on his own tongue, not even hearing himself whisper it back.

_Magic? I can do magic? But surely..._

He had never really understood magic. Certainly he had been fascinated by it, and in wonder of it, but never had he really understood how it worked. And here Cologne was telling him that he had it in him to use magic? It was in his ki? Dumbfounded, he just looked at Cologne, trying to absorb this knowledge. For her part, she looked troubled to be giving him this news, as though she was worried he would abuse it.

"There is a danger here. Though a different kind then there would be if I had not told you," she confessed. Suddenly he realized he was leaning forward like an eager student, and let himself sit back, the weight of the words holding him still. There was a danger. Of course there was a danger; nothing good ever happened to him without dark strings attached to it. Licking his lips again, he looked up at her nervously, trying to read her and finding he could not.

"A danger?"

"Yes...you must not use this power you have, Gosunkugi. Not until you have spent time with a master. Think of it as a sort of art. My son-in-law, for example," she paused to jump to the floor, pointing to Ranma with her long, gnarled cane. "Ranma has been training since he was but a babe to get to where he is now. All his life, he's been under the care of a master. Be it his father, that wretch Happosai, or even me on some occasions. Anything he learned, anything to be done with his power, was only allowed after he was taught the control. With time, he learned how to learn on his own. Thus now, he himself being a master of his father's art is only a few years off, at most." Cologne shifted the aim of her cane, pointing to Akane. Gosunkugi looked at her in silence, suddenly wondering if either really couldn't hear them. Was she hearing all the things Cologne was saying about him? Would she care? He began wringing his hands, feeling his dry skin moisten with sweat.

"Akane Tendo. One of three daughters of a martial artist, and the only one with a gift in the art. A fierce girl, though still not as powerful as my son-in-law. She is further from mastering it, but all the same she too knows the rules. She doesn't strike at those who are defenseless, and she doesn't yet use her aura in attack. Most likely because she has not learned, but she could be even more powerful, once she does." Having finished her explanation, Cologne took back her cane, holding it in her hands as she considered him. His eyes stayed on Akane a moment more, in admiration, and in fear.

_She could be...even more powerful? Akane...but she looks so..._

He thought he saw her nose twitch, and quickly turned to Cologne, a blush coming to his face. Cologne was telling him about restraint? But he didn't even know how to do anything yet! Suddenly he was wondering if he even could, after all this trouble. Would there be a reason to? What if he just hurt the wrong person, again?

"All this is great, but...I don't even know how to control my ki. Let alone use it." Yet again, the mysterious grin appeared on her face, though it didn't touch her eyes.

"You already have."

"I what?"

But suddenly, then, he knew. And a wave of realization nearly sent him to his back with the force of it. Of course. That's what had gone wrong in the gym! That's what that one passage he had not understood meant...about the focusing. He had thought it meant focusing on the written words, to make sure he didn't lose his place. But it meant something else. Something completely different.

He had the power. It was in him, he had used it, and...

_And I hurt the one I loved most, at the first try..._

His shoulders slumped as his eye caught the light of one of the candles. Happiness left him like water from a sponge, squeezed by firm hands. His own hands. Slowly, he looked up at Cologne, an oddly satisfied smile on her face. He suddenly wished he did have a battle aura so he could strike out, but that urge was immediately replaced by the reminder that all the martial artists currently in the room, at full power, probably couldn't knock her out easily.

"Maybe this lesson will be easier then I thought. You know the consequences of abusing your power. Good. I would rather you learned it in another way, but a lesson learned through grief and pain is a lesson learned well."

Gosunkugi blocked off a dry, sarcastic chuckle before it could leave his mouth. Cologne nodded, as though expecting this. He didn't know what to think now, what to feel. He had powers, but he had already used them incorrectly. He had potential, but he needed a teacher. A master. He certainly didn't want Cologne as a teacher; the little bit she was showing him was painful, and neither the student nor the teacher were enjoying the process.

From behind him, he heard something shuffle; Ukyo. She was still there. He could almost feel her gaze on him; those cold, brown eyes that hated him. Trying to ignore her, he focused in front, his eyes wandering from Akane to Ranma. Not much better there, either. Settling on Cologne again, he frowned. Restlessness was consuming him. All the eyes in the room, all the souls...he didn't want them there now. Watching him. Accusing him.

But he had to help Akane. For that he had to face scrutiny, judgement, and pain. For how long, he did not know, but that's how it was.

"I would rather have you spend at least a full two days learning first, before setting you to anything. A month would be nicer. But fate doesn't listen to the whims and wants of an old woman." He got the feeling that she wasn't even talking to him; she was looking at a crack in the floor.

"We need to have their battle auras restored. Now. And you will do it. Now."

Gosunkugi's head shot up in surprise. She wanted him to do it right then? But he didn't know how! It was insanity, pure insanity. He could easily mess up again, make things worse, or yet, not even be able to repeat the process at all.

Cologne was looking at him again, scowling as though reading his thoughts. To his humiliation, he realized he had started shaking again.

_She doesn't have to read my thoughts to know what I'm thinking..._

"Are you sure that's...a good idea?"

"Of course it's not! But we're going to do it, because we don't have any other choice," Cologne sniffed, turning to inspect Ranma then looking back to Gosunkugi.

"We'll start with my son-in-law. He is the strongest."

"That's crazy! What if he attacks me as soon as he gets his power back? He obviously wants to."

"And you deserve it!" said Ukyo, finally raising her voice again. It sent a chill down his spine, almost as bad as the thought of Ranma's revenge.

"Hmph. You think I haven't thought of that? Why do you think those candles are around you? Foolish boy. There is no real need for candles in cursing; all those books that you've read, and on television, and in the news...all those idiots have it wrong. The candles aren't specifically for the curse." Distracted by his confusion, Gosunkugi looked up, brushing back the bangs that had fallen over his eyes.

"They're not? But..." He looked at the candles questioningly.

_But that was always such an important thing...the colour, the size, the number..._

"The candles are for your protection. In a circle of flame, to amplify the magic, and make a barrier. Not an all powerful barrier; it's strength and how long it lasts depends on the spell caster. In this case, you probably couldn't raise a quarter strength barrier to save your life. So I'll be doing it."

"You'll...oh. Th-thank you," he said, feeling oddly grateful.

"It wouldn't do to have my son-in-law kill you right off. I'm not interested in death. And believe it or not, I don't want you dead. I want my son-in-law back at full strength, uncursed. After this first one, you still have other curses to lift. I need you alive and in one healthy piece for that."

His feeling of gratitude faded, but it didn't sting so much anymore. Instead he thought of the candles, and all the information he had learned. He'd have to write it all down, when he got home.

_If I get home..._

"So uhh..what do I do?" Cologne smiled, baring her teeth.

"I was wondering when you'd ask that." Putting down her cane, she sat down in a lotus position, her hands firmly on her knees.

"Do as I do. This position allows you to be the most comfortable, while keeping the flow of your ki at it's peak." Gosunkugi obeyed, twisting himself into the position, though his thighs ached at the stretch of it.

"Now. Concentrate. There is a muscle, behind your ear. Tense it. Got it?" Trying his hardest, he felt for that muscle. Behind one ear, or both? Not realizing that he was biting his lip, he concentrated, and tensed the muscle behind his right ear. It felt odd, and strange; he had never known he had a muscle there that could be tensed. Then again, no one had ever told him to try.

"It can be tricky to tense both at once your first time of really trying, but it doesn't matter which goes first. Tense the other one. You should feel an...interesting release." Closing his eyes, Gosunkugi tensed the other one, and was frustrated to find that in his effort, he had relaxed the other.

_Start over, come on..._

Taking in a deep breath, he tensed the right one again. Felt it tense, squeezed it, released and tensed a few times experimentally. He had it. Letting it go, he tried the same with the other. His left side, not his dominant side, was harder to get control of. After a few experimental tries, though, he thought he had it, and tensed. Then he tensed the other side.

The feeling of the flow caught him by surprise. So this was the interesting feeling...it felt like he had opened a passageway in his mind. A light one, as though he were on the edge of a dizzy spell, or on the edge of sleep without the feeling of fatigue. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw a thin mist in front of him. Like a mist of light; orange, with some specks of purple. A thin, thin veil over-top of the life before him. And beyond the veil, Cologne smiled a cold, satisfied smile.

"You have it."

"How do you know?"

"You can't see it? You're glowing. Faintly, but it's there. You won't have to do that every time; some don't even have to do that trick to learn, or stumble upon it accidently. But you have it now, and that's the important part. Hold it steady; don't let it fade. You'll have a headache later, no doubt, but after this it should get easier." Gosunkugi nodded, but only slightly, worried that he'd lose the control. The veil was so...hypnotic. Light orange, like the sun on the horizon, and the sparkling of purple. He still could not believe it was coming from him. But it was so thin, it didn't look a thing like the aura that Cologne had, or that he had seen from others. It was a light mist, and he worried that if he closed his eyes he'd open them to find it gone.

But it remained. And Cologne had lied; his head wouldn't just hurt later, it hurt now with the effort. Dizziness fought to claim him, but he held it back, and noticed that Cologne was gently pushing the voodoo dolls into the circle with her cane. They were placed in front of him by a foot, and he looked down at the auras there, glowing brightly. Four small, ugly wooden dolls, glowing with life that they were never meant to have.

"Look at the one marked R." Obediently, Gosunkugi moved his head, eyes locked on the R of the doll and its glowing blue aura. Ranma. He felt more then he saw his own aura darken then lighten once more. It held steady despite, and he concentrated on it.

"Concentrate on the glow. All you have to do is release, and aim. Think of Ranma, and look at the doll. Release, and take care to aim! But with your mind and your aura; not with your eyes."

"Release, and aim..."

Concentrating on the glow, he began to wonder just how he was supposed to release. He called the image of Ranma to his mind, still feeling dizzy.

_Release, and aim..._

The mist around him became thicker as he looked at the aura, watching as his own began to bubble. It wavered and wobbled, flowing around him faster now. Like a river, gently flowing, and the purple specks began to throb and thicken as it took hold.

_Release...and aim..._

A feeling that he could only describe as eerie came over him as he watched his aura move, as though another limb. It stretched, and tensed, stretched and tensed, touching the R marked doll then slowly creeping back. Something familiar was in the doll. He recognized it, but only barely. Was that...a part of his aura in there too? Pinning Ranma's down? He had no idea how he managed to have the strength to do that, and the realization almost made him lose concentration.

_Release...and...aim..._

He was barely aware of the sound of Cologne speaking softly with instructions to Ranma. Ukyo was talking too, just as softly, and then Cologne was chanting in a language foreign to him. A Chinese dialect, no doubt; for the barrier. Again he concentrated on Ranma's aura, this time able to nudge it with his own. It bubbled and flowed, trying to free itself from his grasp.

_Release, and aim..._

He found himself thinking of the first day he had met Ranma. Three boys from his school were abusing him, trying to steal his money and backpack, and hurt him. He had been scared then; so scared. But Ranma...not even knowing him, he had stopped the bullies. Pulled them off easily and made them give Gosunkugi his things back. Without a thought for anything in return. No one had ever before helped Gosunkugi with such raw, selfless kindness.

_Release, and aim..._

Then he remembered the first time he had seen Ranma with Akane. Something had died in him then, watching the two, and suddenly realizing that Ranma hadn't really been helping him, earlier. He had been just doing his job as a martial artist; defending the weak. He didn't care, and Akane didn't care either. He saw his aura bubble, and realized faintly that it had darkened to almost red.

_Almost there...release, and aim...and return the favour..._

Bitterly, he let his aura embrace that of Ranma's, picking it up with ease. The glowing ball of blue and purple rose in the air quickly, and Gosunkugi burned the image of Ranma in his head. Without looking up, he felt Ranma's aura return to him. Heard the exclamation from Ukyo, and from Cologne, as he felt Ranma's aura leave him.

With a shudder, Gosunkugi untensed the muscles and leaned back. The mist disappeared. His head ached, but he ignored it. Slowly, he looked up to see the cold, cold eyes of Ranma Saotome burning through him. But he was still. Ranma may have been burning with rage, but he didn't move a muscle to attack him. Not yet.

Gosunkugi found that he wasn't afraid. No, what he was feeling was far more intense then what the word afraid could encompass. Terror-stricken, horrified, petrified...no, not enough. But he knew that as he looked at Ranma, he felt he would lose his composure completely if the boy so much as threw an insult his way.

And then the feeling washed away as he saw Ranma's eyes soften; but just barely. Letting out a sigh, Gosunkugi leaned forward, realizing that almost every muscle in his body had been tensed.

"Success! You are back to yourself, son-in-law?" Cologne's voice could have been coming from two houses away, it was that distant to him.

"More or less. My head's still foggy," grumbled Ranma. He watched as Ranma turned and looked briefly at Akane, then looked to Ukyo with a tired, worn out expression. "How's Kodachi?"

"She's fine...we'll get to her soon, sugar. Don't worry."

"Okay. Probably best to try it on the tomboy first anyway...just to make sure that wasn't a fluke," said Ranma, glaring at Gosunkugi again. Gosunkugi felt a deep anger at the way he spoke of his fiancee, of Akane Tendo, but he knew it was mostly because of the curse. His curse. Despite Ranma's usual attitude towards Akane, he would never risk her like this, not with his own clear mind.

"Ready, child? It should be easier this time, now that you have a feel for it. Concentrate, release, and aim."

"I got it, I'm ready."

Eyes back down to the dolls, he stilled his thoughts and began to tense the muscle behind his right ear. With a small headache and a feeling of fuzziness, the veil came back, and he felt the flow once more.

_Please forgive me, when this is all over...please..._

* * *

><p>He felt almost himself again, with his aura back. If not for the odd fog in his head, Ranma would have been up to check on Kodachi, but something kept him in place. Maybe it was the fact that he knew Cologne would fight him. Or maybe his lack of trust in Gosunkugi; if he left, Gosunkugi may escape before the rest of his curse could be lifted. Though something about the way Gosunkugi had looked at him made him wonder if Gosunkugi really had the courage, or the will, to escape.<p>

The weakling was doing pretty well for himself, he had to give him that. A new power in his hands that could potentially be useful, and already he had demonstrated control over it. The kid was a fast learner; almost as fast as he himself, he realized. Ranma watched with mild interest as Gosunkugi was now gazing at one of the dolls; Akane's, he reasoned. It had only taken a couple of minutes for Gosunkugi to put his aura back. Now all he had to do was do the same for Akane.

_And then he can lift this damned fog from our eyes, and from Kodachi...and Kuno...and give them their power back, too._

He could see Gosunkugi's ki now, which freaked him out more then he wanted to admit. The guy looked like a demon, with his black clothing and hair, pale skin, large, creepy eyes, and now an aura the colour of soft flame surrounding him. It was a barely controlled aura, but one all the same; powerful enough to have kept his own aura trapped, and then to release it. Impatiently, Ranma watched Gosunkugi work, trying not to be impressed as he focused on the mechanics of the spell. It consisted of three very simple parts, all with the ki, rather then his physical person. Something that not everybody could do; Ranma couldn't even do that, with his aura. But his was a battle aura; magic was definitely not his thing, outside of the few powerful ki attacks he had mastered.

Just as Gosunkugi was lifting Akane's flickering, turquoise aura into the air, Ranma felt a familiar twitch. His sixth sense. It twitched again, more violently this time. Danger.

_The door...something's behind the door!_

"Ucchan, the door!"

But even as he sprang to it, he knew it was too late. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the flash of an aura. Gosunkugi was out of control, he realized, his plan now changing as the door opened. Seeing the purple haired amazon that was Shampoo, he at the same time knew that she was the threat, and that Ukyo was soon to be in the way of Gosunkugi's out of control ki. Something in the back of his head flickered with a message that Akane was in trouble, but he didn't have time to think of that.

"Gosunkugi! I kill!" Ranma didn't have time to register his surprise, and barely noted Shampoo's tone and words for later.

In a split second he dove at Ukyo, getting her to the ground on one side of the room. They barely missed the orange swipe of magic. Of pure, unbridled aura, and Ranma realized too late that he had failed to protect the other girl in the way. The threat. Shampoo.

_Dammit! The old ghoul shouldn't of let 'im do it, it was too soon!_

Making sure Ukyo was alright on the ground, he stood up in time to see Shampoo, connected to a shocked Gosunkugi by the orange, magical mist. Leaping in the air, he watched as the mist faded, and he quickly caught Shampoo before she could hit the ground in an unconscious heap. Turning around, he watched as Gosunkugi fell, obviously spent from his own energy. Carefully, Ranma walked back into the room and placed Shampoo gently on the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cologne tending to Akane.

_Akane! Dammit, that idiot must have been slammed with her own aura..._

He leapt over to Cologne and Akane, seeing Akane lay on the ground, her chest rising in breath and her cheeks pink with effort. Moreso, he realized he could feel her again. Sense her battle aura.

_She has her aura back...it worked,_ he realized, feeling mild relief. Without another thought, he looked back over at Gosunkugi then walked back to the center of the room.

This was just great. Sure, he had his battle aura back, and so did Akane. But now Gosunkugi was knocked out. He couldn't help anyone like that. And so was Shampoo, and Akane. He had at least managed to keep Ukyo conscious, and Cologne of course had gotten out of the way easily.

Irritated, he stood in the middle of the room wondering what to do next, when his sixth sense tingled once more. Looking up, he saw that Ukyo was standing as well, looking worried.

_Great, she feels it too...so the threat wasn't Shampoo? Or..._

"Saotome! What have you done to my Shampoo?"

Ranma groaned, closing his eyes. He had a feeling that the newly arrived Mousse wasn't in the mood for explanations, either.


	15. Bittersweet

**Chapter Two: Bittersweet**

Ukyo watched with baited breath as Mousse stormed into the room, battle aura flaring. He was upset, angry, and incredibly distressed, as was obvious to every occupant in the room.

_Well, everyone who can see right now..._

Worriedly, she looked from Akane, to Gosunkugi, to Shampoo, all on the ground, all currently unresponsive in one way or another. No, this was not good at all. All these thoughts passed through her head in the matter of a second, but it was one of the longer seconds she had felt since before Gosunkugi had released Ranma from one of the curses.

She wanted to cry for Ranma to look out, to get out of the way, to do something, anything, but before she could open her mouth she realized that Cologne was already in control of the situation.

"Son-in-law, get in the circle! We cannot afford to fight here!" Seeing the wisdom, he jumped, and Ukyo was almost surprised to see that he could. After all their effort to keep Ranma from Gosunkugi, here she was ordering Ranma into the protected circle with his limp body. Ukyo shuddered as she saw Mousse lunge, bouncing off the barrier with a wince. He attacked it once more, then groaned, looking at the barrier in defeat. Ranma, seeing his advantage, stuck his tongue out at the Chinese boy.

_Oh for crying out loud..._

"Ranma! This is not the time for that!" she shouted, taking a step forward. Scowling, he shrugged his shoulders, obviously feeling much more confident with Mousse out of his range.

"Come off it, Ucchan. You're starting to sound like Akane." But Ranma's words pierced straight through her, more then he probably would ever realize. They stung, and made her stagger.

_Heh...does he even remember how much I'd like to be in Akane's place?...that...that...Idiot!_

Feeling the tears in her eyes, Ukyo lowered her head and took a step back. Ranma did stop the taunts to Mousse though, and she heard rather then saw Mousse go to Shampoo's side.

_Jerk..._

"Now calm down Mousse. Nothin' bad happened here...Gosunkugi just lost control of his ki and hit Shampoo, but..."

"Ranma, you idiot!" yelled Ukyo, before she could hold it back. Hands raced to clamp over her mouth, and she realized that they were her own, and too late. As though in slow motion she saw Ranma's head turn to face her, his blue eyes looking confused, and...hurt? Surprised? Before Ukyo could explain, about how Shampoo had no doubt lied to Mousse, and how Mousse would get the wrong idea if he didn't keep quiet, and how she had really meant to explain before putting them in danger, she sensed a tingling in her aura. From Mousse.

_Too late..._

It was too late to warn Ranma; her belated warning was only an insult, a juvenile insult that was misunderstood by everyone. Most of all Ranma. Feeling her entire being slump, Ukyo fell to her knees, sitting herself firmly on the ground.

"Ucchan..." She heard Ranma say. But his voice just floated over her head. Nearby, Mousse held the fallen Shampoo, stroking her hair protectively. Possessively. Suddenly she felt herself longing for someone to hold her like that. Like a child, and comfort her...understand her. It was around then that Ukyo felt the first tear fall.

"Gosunkugi did this...to Shampoo...," Mousse was saying, his voice was full of daggers.

_Ranma, Shampoo and Mousse wanted to kill Gosunkugi! That's why Shampoo came in here earlier, to kill him, and that's why Mousse wasn't supposed to know that, because now he thinks it was done maliciously, not in accident. But you're such a...you're so...you're just...ugh, Ranma you idiot! You stupid...stupid...fool..._

The words rang through Ukyo's head, held prisoner there by the sobs that robbed her of her voice. Ranma should be angry with her. Maybe even hate her, now. He thought she was the fool here, she was sure of it. Ukyo, the idiot who couldn't have warned them...who should have had a guard on Shampoo and Mousse, but didn't. Why hadn't they thought of that? Were they too tired? Too worn out? Too trusting? Or too eager to have Ranma and Akane back to normal?

Ukyo shed bitter, bitter tears and stared at the floor, mute.

"We should have killed him while we had the chance...oh, Shampoo! I'm sorry I doubted you...I'll never doubt again, or question you, or annoy you...just be okay. Please!" Mousse was wailing hysterically, holding Shampoo in such a way that, if the girl were conscious, would result in the overly concerned Chinese boy being hit. Hard, and repeatedly.

From the other side of the room she began to hear the gentle tap of a cane, bouncing from one spot to the next. A feeling of dread filled Ukyo as the sound came closer, and closer, finally stopping at her. As Ukyo looked up slowly, she found that she had stopped crying. It was an accomplishment, really. Feeling childish and hating it, Ukyo cowered under the scrutiny of Cologne. The old woman frowned, and Ukyo felt ashamed beyond her wildest fears.

"I'm...sorry...," she whispered hoarsely.

"This is not a time for apologies; it's a time for explanations."

Ukyo nodded, stunned, and straightened herself into a sitting position. She could feel Ranma's eyes looking at her; the curious, boyish look, no doubt. She chose to picture it in her mind rather then actually see. Even Mousse tore his eyes away from Shampoo long enough to glance at her, then went right back, too concerned to care at the moment.

"Me and...me and Ryoga...were searching for Gosunkugi. During our search...we...discovered clues. Clues that worried us, and we weren't sure what to believe...but clues all the same." Ukyo gulped back a sob as Cologne and Ranma watched her intently. All was quiet, except for the wailing of Mousse, still trying to revive Shampoo and promising that he'd be better. More then anything, Ukyo wanted to not have to finish. She wanted someone, anyone, to walk into the room, pick her up and carry her off. Sorry, she'd say, but I can't finish showing what a fool I am. I have to go.

But no one came, no one rescued her. The sound of her heartbeat grew loud, and she cleared her throat, knowing she had to continue.

"We found that...Shampoo and Mousse were set to kill Gosunkugi. It was...Shampoo's idea, I guess. When we found him...Mousse and Shampoo were there too. And Shampoo was all fired up to kill Gosunkugi. I'm sure, now that I think back...Mousse hesitated. I...think Shampoo had convinced him. Mousse was surprised that we weren't on their side." She felt her throat dry up, and watched as Mousse was now looking at her, eyes wide as realization was slowly dawning on him. She turned to him and nodded.

"Your precious little cat-girl lied to you, Mousse. But you're so blind...not just with your eyes, but with your heart. You and your damned trust...you were supposed to be out looking for Kuno and Kodachi! But no, I suppose Shampoo told you half truths, or maybe told you the whole thing, but twisted it. You moron...you really thought we were out to kill Gosunkugi? When he was the only one who could undo the curse? Idiot!" She found the heat rising in her easily now that Mousse was before her. It was comfortable to have him as a target, especially since her ally had been fighting against him earlier. Comfortable, and too convenient, but she did it anyway.

She thought he'd lash out. Yell at her, or maybe threaten, just get angry. Show some sort of emotional response. She expected anger. Weren't they all angry with her? But when Ukyo's out-of-control voice finally stopped, Mousse just looked down at Shampoo. Looked at her with hard, unsure eyes, but silently all the same. Without a word he adjusted Shampoo in his arms and began walking out of the room.

"Mousse," said Cologne. In her voice was the command to wait, and wait he did. But he didn't turn around.

"Is what Ukyo says the truth?" Her voice lacked emotion like the desert lacked moisture.

There was a long pause, in which Ukyo wasn't sure if she even could breathe. If she could think enough to get her lungs to function. The silence was deafening as they waited for Mousse to reply.

"Yes...but I'm sure Shampoo was only doing what she thought was right," said Mousse, defensive to the very end. Ukyo sighed, letting out the air in one long breath. She saw Cologne stiffen, and watched as Mousse took a step forward. He stopped again, though, when Cologne began to speak.

"Keep her confined to her room, if you can, when she wakes up. Tell her that, for her shocking display of disobedience and idiotic endangering of the lives of others, especially her own future husband...that we are going back to the village. As soon as this business is over. She must bear the punishment of the council, for acting like a fool child. This girl is no longer a woman, in my eyes. She has much to learn, and I'm afraid I underestimated her when I brought her to Japan. I will bear punishment as well for my oversight, when we go to China."

"I'll tell her. And travel with you to China as well."

"So be it. Now...get out of my sight. We have things to do."

Without another word, Mousse left the room, closing the door behind him with his foot.

"Ukyo," said Cologne, her voice heavy. Ukyo was starting to get tired of all the commands; her anger was already stirred, and Mousse had had only a part of it. However, she decided not to lash out, and instead just looked up at the old woman.

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?"

"I don't know...I was just so mad, when I saw Gosunkugi again...and then...I..." began Ukyo, her anger slipping through her fingers as she struggled to explain.

"Hey, guys? I think curse-boy is startin' to come around," said Ranma. Ukyo felt oddly surprised to hear his voice, as though she had forgotten he was there. But there he was, crouched down over Gosunkugi, who moaned loudly. Ukyo felt sick as she realized what Ranma was planning to do, sitting close to him like that.

"Cologne-" But the old ghoul was already on it; the barrier shimmered out of existence, and Cologne jumped into the circle to Gosunkugi's other side.

"Son-in-law. I know what you're planning, and I won't allow it."

"I'm not plannin' nothin'!"

"Then leave the circle."

Ranma shot her an incredibly put out look, and they glared at each other a moment, Ranma's aura flickering around him soundlessly. But he actually did concede, and stood up, walking away just as Gosunkugi opened his eyes. The look of horror at seeing Ranma so close to him, not realizing he was walking away, was so priceless that Ukyo almost wanted to tell Ranma to turn around, so he could see.

_I wonder if he's mad at me...he's being odd, now...or am I the one that's being odd?_

"Girl, you should go get Kodachi and Kuno now. Have them wait in the hallway. Gosunkugi will lift the memory curse from them, and the aura one as well..." Eager to get out of there, Ukyo jumped out and was surprised to see that Cologne had followed her to the door. The old ghoul jumped up to her cane, then leaned in close as though to whisper.

"We'll take off the aura curse, and the memory, but not the emotion one. Take Ryoga with you; I don't know if we'll have to restrain anyone or not." Ukyo nodded in understanding and headed downstairs, trying to figure out what she was going to say to Ryoga.

* * *

><p>Ryoga watched as Nabiki walked down the stairs again, Kodachi and Kuno following. They were headed towards the exit of the Nekohanten, with two of the curses gone. None of the three, not even Nabiki, knew the emotional curse was still there. Kuno and Kodachi would be repelled still by the sight of Akane and Ranma, and even the female Ranma, he was sure. He sighed as he watched them go, and felt a gentle tug on his shirt. Ukyo.<p>

She had told him everything that had happened, in a burst of words in the kitchen downstairs. He had thought she was going to cry again, and grab him, and wasn't sure how to deal with it. He hadn't known how to last time, and hadn't thought to plan ahead. But she had maintained control, and then took them upstairs once more to finish the next stage. Now he didn't know whether to be impressed with her bravery, or feel incredibly sorry for her. All the same, she was tugging him back into the room now, her eyes sad as she did so.

"Hey...remember Akane...," she said, as though to egg him on further.

"Akane! She was hurt..." He took off in a sprint towards the fallen girl. She lay still on a blue mat, her head resting on a soft, yellow pillow. Ryoga looked at her sadly, still wincing from the tale of how she got that way. Her own aura, slammed back into her body with force enough to knock her out. Although Cologne swore that she was alright, Ryoga had his doubts. Never before had he heard of such a thing happening. Would Akane really be alright? Sadly, he watched her, barely noticing as Gosunkugi was relieving Ranma of curses on the other side of the room.

He touched Akane's face gently, brushing back the bangs from her eyes. She was so perfect. As though hypnotized, he watched as her chest rose and fell with breath, and noted her pink cheeks and warm face. Yes, she was still alright. Barely, but alright. No doubt her whole strength was back too; he could feel her aura, peaceful and powerful, barely radiating off of her.

"Ryoga...it's, uh..Akane's turn." He heard Ranma say, and spun around to look. There stood Ranma, tired, and dominating, and something in his eyes spoke of a possessiveness towards Akane. Getting the feeling that Ranma was now looking at Ryoga as an obstacle, he slowly stood up, however unwillingly.

"The curses are all gone?" he asked, already knowing the answer. The light in Ranma's eyes was completely different then the last time he had seen his old rival.

"Yeah. Now we need to fix Akane's messed up head. Hey, and uh, thanks for your help, Ryoga."

"How did you know?"

"I caught a few words here and there. I was cursed, not stupid." His face looked serious as he knelt beside Akane, tentatively touching her shoulder, then moving his hand to her wrist to check her pulse. He only had eyes for her now, and Ryoga realized she would probably reciprocate the feelings once she came to.

Cologne and Gosunkugi soon joined them as well, and Ryoga felt himself pushed back away from them out of necessity for room. Stepping backwards as he was, his eyes on Akane and Ranma, and his heart sadly not wanting to move, he bumped into someone and stopped.

"Watch where you're going," said Ukyo, her voice oddly soft for the words. Ryoga quickly turned around, then moved to her side.

"Sorry, I was..."

"Distracted? I noticed."

They stood silently for a moment, then something occurred to Ryoga. Ukyo shouldn't be there. They had an excuse earlier, but now that Ranma was in his right mind again...Ukyo needed her distance. With a sinking feeling, he remembered that Akane would be regaining consciousness soon. Uncursed Akane. He didn't want to be there for that; he wasn't ready to actually face her. And watching Ranma lean over Akane now, concern on his face that he'd deny in an instant, her unconscious form still, and strong, and beautiful...

"I'm ready to go when you are, sugar."

"What?"

"I said I'm ready to go. Don't you listen? You need me to get out of here. And I..."

He watched her as she didn't finish her sentence, and felt incredibly uncomfortable. But if he had to decide between staying there and being uncomfortable with Akane and Ranma, and going with Ukyo and possibly being uncomfortable with her...

He shifted his weight, feeling suddenly bashful. It mixed in oddly with the depression and rejection, like oil and water.

"Let's go, then."

Ryoga didn't know whether to be sad or relieved when no one seemed to notice that the forever lost boy and okonomiyaki chef left the room without another word.

* * *

><p>Ranma resisted the urge to pick up the unconscious Akane, and just hold her. He knew it was a stupid thing to do; Akane would get really mad, for one. Plus, there were others in the room. Gosunkugi and the old ghoul were still there. He didn't want to be acting like that, in front of them. Even if for the moment the two weren't enemies, they had been before, and they would be again. He didn't want to show weakness now.<p>

But he was still consumed with worry. He did remember most of the time when he had been cursed; the fuzzy feelings, the misplaced longings, the weakness. The memory of lusting after Kodachi alone made him shudder wildly, and he tried to push it aside, replacing it with the image of Akane. But she was still off in another land right now; Cologne had assured him that she wasn't the first person to have her battle aura slammed into her, and she'd be just fine. Yet Ranma wasn't inclined to believe that until he saw the proof. He was also hesitant to stay here with them, and was making up his mind to leave when he tore his eyes away from Akane to look at Cologne and Gosunkugi. Before he left, he needed to make sure of something.

They were talking quietly near the door; apparently, Gosunkugi was just leaving as well.

"Hey! Gosunkugi." He watched in amusement as the boy jumped, turning to him with eyes full of fear. The amusement faded fast, though; worry was a hard feeling to shake off.

"She's okay now, right? All three of the curses are gone?" he asked, putting on his best intimidating look. The boy shook, but appeared to regain control.

"She's...uncursed. Completely, I swear, I would never intentionally hurt her."

"It's the accidental ones ya need to worry about. That's twice now! Two days in a row." Gosunkugi put his head down slowly, bangs falling over his eyes.

"I...know. I'm sorry...it...may not mean much, but...tell her I'm sorry. Please," he said, his voice sounding heavy.

"Yeah, whatever. But just remember somethin'. Akane is mine, got that? Don't get anymore funny ideas. She wants nothin to do with you," said Ranma angrily, looking back over to his fiancee. He seriously doubted that was the way she wanted it said, but it'd have to do. At least like this, she couldn't punch him for it. Something in him wished she could, though.

As he began scooping her up in his arms, planning to take her to Dr. Tofu, he heard Gosunkugi start to leave again, Cologne following.

"Don't forget to seek out a master! And don't dare use your powers unsupervised until then." He heard Cologne say, but her voice faded as she bounded down the hallway. Getting a good grip on Akane, he was suddenly concerned by how light she felt. Had she lost weight from the ordeal? She didn't look thinner; there was the same chubby face, and legs, and waist. But something about her still didn't feel whole, or right. Worried, he got up faster, and walked out the door with her cradled securely in his arms.

_Huh, Ryoga and Ucchan took off...guess that's for the best...I'm surprised Ucchan stuck around as long as she did._

He had remembered the promise as soon as he saw Ukyo, after the curse was removed. Her eyes had never looked so wide, as she realized that they both knew what the other was thinking. Clearly, she hadn't liked it, as she had run out with the excuse of getting Ryoga.

_Something's definitely going on between those two...Akane'll be pleased...she wanted to get them together before. I think._

He was walking down the hall now, towards Cologne and the exit. But once he was about to pass her, she instead matched stride with him, an odd smile on her face. Remembering what she had said about Shampoo earlier, he cleared his throat, then looked at the old ghoul.

"So uh...since you're taking Shampoo to China...that means you're giving up right? Because it's about time," he said, a smirk gracing his face. Not missing a step, Cologne shook her head, following him to the door.

"What gave you that idea? As soon as the punishment is over, we're coming right back here, and you're going to marry Shampoo."

_Dammit! I knew it'd be too easy. But what if..._

"How long will the punishment take, anyway?" Cologne shrugged, though her face was suspicious.

"Maybe a few months. Why?" she asked, as Ranma headed out the door.

"No reason."

_Maybe if Akane and I can get married before that, and move somewhere for a while...ugh, but I can't just marry her for that reason... though...we've been preparin' for it..._

Feeling a blush coming on, Ranma ceased his thoughts and took a tighter grip on Akane.

"We'll be leaving tonight, as soon as Shampoo comes to."

"Heh. Don't waste any time, do ya."

"Must you always get the last word in, son-in-law?" she asked rhetorically as he walked out the door. Turning around, he let out steam by sticking his tongue out at Cologne. Then, turning right to get to Dr. Tofu, he heard the door to the Nekohanten shut. And with it, he felt one of the many weights lift off of his shoulders. At least, for a few months.

Now that Gosunkugi wasn't there for him to intimidate, or Cologne to mock, Ranma let himself look down at Akane again. He couldn't decide on what he was feeling; he was worried, definitely, but the others seemed so confident she'd be fine. Then again, he was wary about trusting anything Cologne said. And she had sounded so sure about Shampoo claiming him. He had an odd feeling about the whole business that he knew would only be put to rest after Akane had been examined by Dr. Tofu and given the clean bill of health.

"Why'd ya have to go and let yourself be hit by your own aura, stupid? Only you could be slow enough for that to happen," he chastised, not realizing how harsh the words were until they were out of his mouth. He did realize, though, that if his fiancee were awake he'd be flying to the next block by now from one of her punches. Ashamed, he shook his head then looked at her face.

"I didn't mean it. Well, not all of it...you're not stupid. But you are slow. You know it, and I know it, and..." A mischievous glint came into his eye, and he looked around as he walked, as though making sure no one could listen.

"And you can't cook!" he finished, grinning. The grin faded as he realized it just didn't feel the same. His heart ached for Akane's voice, her smile, heck even her touch in the form of a punch would be nice. But none of that happened.

"Okay, so I'm an idiot. Just get better, alright? You're makin' me worried here, and worryin' is your job, not mine."

Adjusting her weight in his arms, he realized that she was still wearing the clothes from the 'date'. Except now her dress was very wrinkled, and her socks were creeping down towards her ankles. Her hair had stayed well in place, though. The bag of poison antidotes still hung, mostly unused, from the belt of her dress. Ranma himself hadn't messed up his clothing, as far as he could tell. But he knew he would have, and more, if he could have prevented any of what had happened in the past couple of days. In fact, he'd give a pretty penny and supper for a week to go back to last Friday even, and eat Gosunkugi's note without even reading it.

"But we got rid of Kuno and Kodachi...Gosunkugi said they still have the curse that makes 'em hate us. Don't worry, he took off the other ones. I made sure of that, cause I...I thought you'd get mad, if I didn't," confessed Ranma, looking at Akane's closed eyelids as he spoke. It felt less eerie, and sad, if he was actually talking to her. He did keep his voice low, though, to avoid attention. He didn't want anyone realizing that the girl he was holding so carefully in his arms wasn't just tired, or sleeping; she was knocked out. Ranma didn't know what he would say if someone asked how it had happened, or if she was alright.

"Hey, I just realized something. We're done. We did it! All the suitors, in one blow. Kodachi, Kuno, Gosunkugi, and Shampoo. Well...not really Shampoo. She'll be back. But don't worry 'bout it, I'll think of somethin'," he said, more to himself then to Akane this time.

His steps quickened, impatient to get to Dr. Tofu's to find the real answer to the question that burned his mind.

Was Akane really alright?

Determination plain on his face, he ran as fast as he safely could down the last block, all the way up the sidewalk and into Dr. Tofu's hospital. He just hoped the doctor wasn't trying to do anything, because he was about to get a serious interruption.

* * *

><p>Akane Tendo found that she couldn't feel. She couldn't see anything, couldn't feel whether it was warm or cold, couldn't smell, and wasn't even sure if she could hear. The silence was deafening, as she tried to open her eyes in the emptiness. But she couldn't tell if they even worked; her eyes, her hands, her body no longer seemed to be under her control.<p>

_Where am I?_ she thought.

"That's always the first thought. Where am I? Where am I? Oh wherever have I ended up this time? Feh. How about showing some originality? How about when am I, or how am I, or the more philosophical, who am I or why am I?" a voice mocked. Surprised, Akane paused for a moment before reacting with the obvious question.

_What? But...who are you?_

"And there's the second thought! I swear, after so many cases like you coming through, you'd think I'd accept it...move on, stop expecting originality from humans. But no. I'm an optimist. I keep on believing that someday, one of you sheep will develop an independent thought, and steer away from the routine. I've been waiting centuries now, and I think it may happen in the next eon."

_I didn't ask to be here._ Akane felt her mind swim with blackness. Was it her mind? Where...was she, anyway?

"Now that one usually comes in later, though it's always before they realize just where they are. Except for a few cases that you don't need to know about. Heh, I have to hand it to you, you're one of the quickest to get mad at me yet. I think I'm going to like you."

_Oh gee, thanks. Now would you mind telling me where the heck I am and who you are? I was in the middle of something back there!_

"Whoa, whoa, calm down. No need to throw a fit. But then...oh. Ohoho, maybe you do need to throw a fit to let out some of that fire. Aiy, but your mind is a complicated thing. I haven't had one of you for a long time..."

_Get out of my head, you...pervert! _Akane wasn't even sure if the voice was male, it was just...there. It was almost her voice, too, in her head. Like she was reading, and listening in her mind to the words. It was in her head though, wasn't it? The idiot that was being smart with her still hadn't really let her know.

"Pervert? Oh. I'm sorry, I'm not your Ranma. You don't get to call me names."

_Why you...! Hey...you know about Ranma. Is he okay? We had a curse on us, but...I feel fine now._

"Are you sure you can feel? You shouldn't be able to. Unless that was a figure of speech...you humans have so many of those. Oh, and yes, your fiancé is fine. In fact...he's carrying you right now."

_He is? Where to? Hey...why is he carrying me, what's going on?_

"Has anyone ever told you that you ask way too many questions?"

_Once or twice. Are you going to answer them? _The voice laughed, though again she wasn't sure if it was just her interpretation of the laughter.

"You are here because your body is in shock. Don't worry, you're not dead or anything. Just...on hold."

_In shock? But why would I be in shock?_

"Okay, fine. You did still ask two questions, but thankfully they were the same, so I'll be nice and answer. You humans are so redundant...you are in shock because you had your battle aura removed from your ki, then it was put back much too forcefully. Sort of like slamming a door too hard and breaking the hinge. It got back to you alright, but it was too much for your mind, so it needed a break."

_I see. So my aura is back...hey, how long is this break going to last? I have things to do you know._

"Like that handsome little fiancé of yours?"

_What!? You ARE a pervert!_

"No, I'm not. In fact, I'm sexless, neither man nor woman, so I'm certainly not a pervert. I have been accused of having an odd sense of humour before, though, so bear with me."

_Heh. I'd believe it._

"Hey, no need for that. But look, you stopped with the questions. Good girl. I'd give you a cookie, if either of us could actually touch it."

_So where are we?_

"And here I thought you were smart. Well, Ranma did call you slow a few minutes ago..."

_He what?_

"The questions again! Arg!"

_Okay, okay, I'll stop. Sorry. Now, please. Go on._

"How belatedly polite of you. Alright Akane, I'll level. We are in your head. Your soul hasn't left your body, or anything weird or morbid like that. You're still alive and in reasonable health, depending on how good your doctor is."

_Ranma's probably carrying me to Dr. Tofu's, and if that's the case, I have the best doctor I know._

"Good, one less thing for you to worry about. Since you showed restraint again, and didn't ask a question, I'll answer another. Who I am. Akane...do you know what an angel is?"

_An angel? Isn't that a being with wings and a halo, a messenger of Heaven?_

"Interesting way of putting it. That's not what I am, but I've gotten into the habit of bringing up angels first. Humans always seem to want to call me that...their guardian angel. Well I'm not."

_Hey, you asked if I knew what an angel is, and I answered!_

"With a question! But wow, where are my manners going. I'm sorry, it's been a while since I was in the mind of someone so...fiery. You see, when I'm in the mind of a person with a coma like this...I tend to take on their mannerisms a bit."

_I'd say you're acting more like Ranma then me._

"You and Ranma have more in common then you think."

_..._

"Silence, Akane Tendo? But you're worried..."

_I'm worried about Ranma._

"He's fine. Talking to your body like some kind of idiot, but fine. I think you're in the doctor's office, now."

_You can see? Or hear, even?_

"Not so much. As long as someone's close to you, I can get a sort of sense of what's going on in his or her head. I just felt the presence of someone much smarter then him, who just touched your vital ki points in a specific order. I assumed it was the doctor."

_Dr. Tofu..._

"Nice guy. Has a thing for your sister, doesn't he."

_Badly. But you didn't finish explaining who you were._

"Right, sorry. I'm a spirit, essentially. Whenever someone's in a coma, as a coping mechanism all humans find themselves dealing with their own mind. And that's it. They can't see, touch, feel, taste, smell, or do any of that martial artist sensing that about one out of fifty humans can do. But they can think. And some people, alone with their thoughts like that, drive themselves crazy."

_..._

"A captive listener. How sweet. I tell you Akane, I'm touched. Anyway, a few centuries ago...or was it a few eons, I can never remember...a Bodhisattva in what is now southern India created me."

_A Bodhisattva? But isn't that...?_

"A Buddhist on his way to nirvana, yes. This one didn't quite make it, but he was very talented in certain abilities."

_So Buddhism is real..._

"Did I say that? I don't think I said that at all."

_You said something like it._

"Did not."

_Did too!_

"Didn't I tell you I'm not Ranma? Stop being childish and listen!"

_...sorry. It's a force of habit._

"It's one you need to lose, and fast. Anyway, so I was created, and suddenly people were able to maintain sanity during comas. A coma used to be a very serious thing...in some cases, where there's physical damage, it still is. But not in your case, as it wasn't physical at all. When you fell, you fell softly on a mat, from a sitting position."

_So you're here to keep me sane._

"More or less. Is it working?"

_..._

"Your mind is tired. Rest, Akane. Don't worry...I'll be here when you're ready to talk again."

_...okay. It won't be long will it? The coma? You were so vague..._

"Hush. I can't answer that, because I don't know. Just rest."

_..._

"Good girl. Your mother...sorry, I mean your mother figure, Kasumi...would be proud."

* * *

><p>Shampoo's head was foggy. No, not just foggy. It outright hurt, too. But she stifled the groan; she was a strong warrior woman. Last she checked, they didn't groan at minor pain like this.<p>

"What happened...?" she asked, sensing another person in the room before opening her eyes. Realizing she had spoken in Chinese, and that the other person hadn't questioned it, she frowned. Was her great-grandmother there? Who else would be sitting over on the other side of the room? The only other person who would understand her Chinese was Mousse, but if it was him, the lovesick idiot be right beside her. Blinking, she opened her eyes and focused on the person. Surprised to see that it was Mousse, and feeling mad at his invasion of her privacy, she sat straight up. Then immediately let out a groan, and lay back down.

"What are you doing in my room?" Her voice sounded as weak as a kitten. She hated that; of all people, she didn't want to show weakness to Mousse.

"You lied to me, Shampoo. Why?" His voice sounded so strange. What was he talking about, anyway? It wasn't the first time she had lied to him. Certainly not. She had been lying to him, making up excuses, since they were children.

_But he doesn't usually figure out the lie._

At the reminder, she creased her brow and looked up at the ceiling. Mousse didn't get up, but she heard him shift his weight.

"Aren't you going to answer my question?" she asked irritably. Why was he choosing now to grow a backbone? She had expected it for a while; hoped for it even. However mad he was at her, though, she didn't think it meant he was going to leave her. Mousse was too far head over heels for that, to Shampoo's disappointment.

"Answer mine first."

She wanted to strike him, lash out, but she was still feeling weak. Her head swam, and she was beginning to notice the other small pains in her body. Her shoulders, her right arm, her right hip. Clearly, she had fallen and hit something really hard on that side. But why?

_Stupid duck-boy._

"Maybe I'll just wait for Great-Grandmother to check on me, and have her explain."

"Oh, you don't want to talk to your Great-Grandmother right now. If she'll even come in...she hasn't, yet. But she gave me a message to give to you. You won't like it though...Xian Pu." Her eyes widened, both at the words and the correct pronunciation of her name. Her mind raced, trying to figure out what Mousse's trick was. He was mad, but still trying to keep her satiated. Why? And why was Great-Grandmother...

Another groan escaped her lips as she slowly, painfully realized. She knew. Great-Grandmother knew.

_Of course...I yelled my intentions when I entered the room...stupid...but I thought I would get the kill...I couldn't have anticipated curse-boy being able to defend himself._ And suddenly, partial memories came back to her. Opening the door, but seeing Ranma dive towards her. No, not towards her. Towards the spatula girl. He had saved her, and then bright orange light had hit her instead, coming from Gosunkugi. Carefully, she tried to ignore the clear fact that Ranma had been protecting the spatula girl from her. From Shampoo.

"Tell me Mousse...please...she's angry at me, isn't she? Did she say anything?" Her voice was very passive now, as she realized that she was scared. Very, very scared, of her own guardian.

"I will, but first...why did you lie to me?" His voice was sad now, and heavy with sympathy. Shampoo realized he was fighting hard to stay mad with her. A sick sense of amusement at being stronger then him, even now, made her almost smile. But the fear of her Great-Granmother's wrath kept any smile from touching her large, violet eyes.

"Because I needed your help, and I thought you'd ask too many questions if I told you the truth," she said, still lying. She hadn't needed his help. But she knew that saying those words would affect him deeply. Would push his emotions back to what she needed.

"Oh, Xian Pu...I'd always help you, you should know that. But just don't lie to me anymore...okay?" he asked, relief washing over his tone that had been so firm with his first question.

_Pathetic duck-boy..._

"I know. Now, tell me...I remember walking into the room, and being hit by something that came from curse-boy. What happened after that?" she asked, careful to keep her tone patient. Mousse was where she wanted him now, but she didn't want to prod too hard. He was sensitive, and could be a real emotional roller-coaster at times.

"When I came in...I saw you, on the floor, knocked out. Gosunkugi, out, and Akane, out...I didn't know what to think. Ranma was there, and Ukyo...and Cologne, off to one side. I immediately thought that Ranma had attacked you, so I lunged at him. But then...your Great-Grandmother coaxed him into a protection circle that Gosunkugi was in, and fired up the barrier. I couldn't attack him. So instead, I went to you, to...see how you were. I was worried...for the second time in the span of less then two hours, you were knocked out. Even for someone as strong as you, it's not...not good..." Shampoo quietly bit her lip as she listened to him, feeling her rough edges smooth. So he had been hoping to protect her. She didn't like how he had stupidly assumed it was the fault of her beloved and attacked him, but still. She wouldn't admit it, but it was...nice, to be worried over.

Wordlessly, she waited for him to continue.

"Then...Ukyo and Ranma...they were yelling at each other. I wasn't listening, until...well, the implication came out that we weren't really supposed to kill Gosunkugi. When Ranma said that Gosunkugi had attacked you...no, he didn't say it like that. He said it was an accident, but I was so mad, I just filled in the blanks and assumed it was an attack. I said that we should have killed Gosunkugi when we had the chance. Then...Ukyo...she became really upset. And then she told us...and told me...how we were actually supposed to be retrieving Kodachi and Kuno. And that Cologne had wanted Gosunkugi...alive...here, to lift the curses. I felt like such a fool, Xian Pu." Shampoo lay quietly, waiting for him to weep, or continue. But he did neither. Slowly, carefully, she closed her eyes, letting out a breath.

_Maybe I went too far...this time...I didn't know we needed Gosunkugi though. I was going on the information that I had..._

"Mousse...Aiyaa...," she began, but her throat went dry. She didn't quite feel sympathy for Mousse, but in her heart she began to realize that she had done a very dishonourable thing. All for the honour of Ranma.

_I dishonoured myself completely, for a man...but if it's for Ranma...for his honour..._

Opening her eyes, she looked over at Mousse. He was surprisingly composed. Wondering if he could understand, if he could just realize the duty she had towards her beloved, she felt her face soften. Obviously misinterpreting this, Mousse learned forward eagerly. Quickly, she schooled her face firm again, and sighed.

"I didn't mean to make an idiot out of you. For that, I'm sorry. But for my actions, I'm not," she said simply, and watched as Mousse looked back at her gravely. His eyes, through his thick glasses, gleamed with cold, hard knowledge.

"I'm pretty certain your Great-Grandmother wants to see regret your actions," he said all in one breath, as though he had to force the words out. Contemplating this, Shampoo forced herself to remain calm and not give into panic. She had disobeyed her Great-Grandmother, and endangered her plans. There was no doubt some punishment for that, but she wasn't sure what it was. Never before had she disrespected her own Great-Grandmother so.

"What did she say? I answered your question; answer mine." Her companion raised a hand to brush back his hair, as though trying to delay the answer.

"She said...she said, that for...disobeying, and endangering others, especially Ranma...that she's taking you back to the village, for punishment from the council. And she...she said that you are no longer a woman, in her eyes. That you have much to learn, and that she has punishment to go through, as well," said Mousse brokenly, despite that he was now speaking the mother tongue. Shampoo wondered how much he was softening it; no doubt it was a broken delivery because he was sugar-coating, for her.

Her eyes gazed at him angrily, and he looked down as though he had been hit. Despite her firm face, and his sugar-coating, the words did still hit her hard. Not the part about the punishment; she was prepared to accept whatever punishment there was for her actions. Proudly, and with her head held high. But the part about no longer being a woman...that stung.

_I'll show Great-Grandmother...I'm a woman...completely, totally, a woman, and an adult._ But the fierceness of her thoughts couldn't keep her from feeling soft inside. Somewhere, a part of her was still scared and hurt, and she fought to squash it. During her internal battle, she hadn't noticed Mousse raise his eyes again, and look at her.

"I was...I was going to take you away from here. Run away with you, maybe to another part of Japan, or back to the continent...to protect you." Mousse's words were coming out broken again, uncertainly.

"It's good that you didn't. I don't need your protection, Mousse. We're both Amazons, you should know by now that any real Amazon...any real warrior...accepts her punishment as it's given. I don't regret what I did, but that doesn't mean I don't have a price to pay," she said, and was glad to see Mousse nod.

_So he does have a brain..._

"That's why I didn't. I knew you'd be upset with me, and wouldn't agree. I...I'd never want to do anything that upset you," he confessed, standing up and walking towards the door. Shampoo frowned. This was new...he was going to leave her side?

"Are you...feeling okay?" he asked as he stood near the door.

"I'm dizzy, but I'll be fine." She watched him suspiciously. He merely nodded, hand on the door to open it.

"Rest then. Col- ...your Great-Grandmother wanted to leave immediately. And I'm going with you...so I'll go pack, now, and let her know you're conscious. I'll come back to see how you are soon...I don't think Cologne will come back to check on you before we leave." Shampoo accepted the words, feeling herself go cold of emotions. There would be no place for emotions, where she was going.

"Understood. And...Mousse?" she began, just as he was about to leave.

"Yes?" The eager tone in his voice made her rethink her words, which were supposed to be of mild gratitude.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be ready," she said quietly, though confidently.

"R-right. I know." And then he left the room, closing the door behind him. Sighing, Shampoo lay back down on her bed, focusing on healing. She had a long journey ahead of her, and she'd need every ounce of strength she could muster.


	16. The Littlest Tendo

**Chapter Three: The Littlest Tendo**

"Dr. Tofu!"

Ranma dodged around an old woman and a middle aged man in the doctor's waiting room. They shot him odd looks, but Ranma ignored them, pushing through a door to where Dr. Tofu was examining a patient.

"Dr. Tofu, it's Akane, she's..." Finally catching his breath, Ranma stopped, feeling surprise at actually seeing the doctor busy. A belated feeling of childishness passed over him, and he took a step back towards the door. A boy, maybe his age, was sitting on the padded doctor's table. His right leg, with the pant leg rolled up to the mid thigh, hung limply over the edge, the knee and shin bandaged heavily. He looked at Ranma, nervous and surprised, as Dr. Tofu stood and slowly turned to Ranma. To his relief, he didn't appear to be mad. Instead, he took in Ranma and Akane swiftly, then nodded. A frown graced his face as he approached Ranma.

"I'm busy right now, Ranma, but...what happened to Akane?" he asked, looking as though he were going to tell him to wait, but then fell victim to curiousity and concern for one of his long term patients. Looking down at her face, Ranma tried to figure out how to piece the words together, and found when his voice came back out again that it was not quite as determined and in control as he'd like.

"It's a long story. Basically...her battle aura was taken, and given back to her. Violently."

"Her aura? But...okay, take her to the closest patient room, and lay her on the bed. She doesn't have any physical injuries, does she?" Ranma had to consider that. He hadn't actually watched her fall; his first concern had been for Ukyo, then Shampoo, and he berated himself mentally for that. Even if he had been cursed, he should have still thought of her. He knew he should have.

"No injuries. She was sitting, then keeled over." Dr. Tofu sighed with apparent relief, then put his arm on Ranma's shoulder, gently pushing him out the door.

"Lay her on the bed with her head on a pillow, and wait for me. If anything changes, come get me immediately. But first...just to make sure...hold her up and away from your body, Ranma." Complying, Ranma held Akane's limp form up, one of her arms escaping and dangling lifelessly by her side. With a frown, Dr. Tofu poked and prodded around her neck, abdomen, back, chest and head. To Ranma's relief, he nodded and gestured for Ranma to leave.

"She doesn't seem to be in any immediate danger, though now I'm curious to hear the whole story. Go over there, and wait. Oh, and Ranma...have a drink of water, okay? You look parched."

"Yessir," said Ranma quickly, already making his way to the room with Akane. The two people who had been in the waiting room glared at him, though quickly averted their eyes once they got a better look at the unconscious girl in his arms.

_Yeah, that's right...bit more of a problem then you have._

He ignored them, heading for the room and putting Akane down gently on the bed. She had been there a few times before. Once, most recently, when she had broken her leg. That had been...a few months ago? Half a year? He wasn't sure, and felt an odd, quiet feeling come over him as he eased a pillow under her head and gently positioned her arms to lay at her sides. It was like he was in a church, he realized. Like he wasn't supposed to say anything, and he was supposed to behave a certain way.

Ranma had never been fond of churches.

"You heard that, right Akane? You're okay. So you're just gonna rest here, and wait, and I'm gonna sit over in this chair, and..."

"Well that's good to hear. Would have been nicer to know she was knocked unconscious to begin with, and to know you were taking my sister here. But since you were doing it all with Akane's well-being in mind, I can let it slide. This time."

Surprised at the sudden voice and not immediately recognizing it, Ranma turned his head quickly to see Nabiki entering the room. Her expression was calm, though her face flickered to light concern when she looked away from Ranma to take in Akane. Guilty feelings came to surface, but he tried to suppress them. He hadn't meant to keep Nabiki out of the loop, or leave without her. He had just completely forgotten she existed.

"You can save the whole story for when Dr. Tofu gets here. I know it can be tiring to repeat things, and frankly, by the end of the day I'll probably be tired of hearing it too. Give me the short version. What happened, why, and how is she?" Nabiki's voice was cold and hard as she walked over to the other side of the bed, arms crossed, her eyes peering down at her sister. They betrayed her, though only to those who were familiar with the manipulative girl. All her talk right now was a cover; Ranma was sure she was just as worried about Akane as he was.

Looking back at Akane, he noticed a few hairs had fallen over her face. But he restrained himself from moving them, in the presence of Nabiki. Instead, as though sensing his thoughts Nabiki reached a hand to gently brush away the hairs. Her hand lingered on her sister's forehead, as though checking her temperature, then she took her hand away. Hesitantly.

"Gosunkugi gave me back my aura...and then he was s'posed to give Akane's back to her. But then I sensed a heavy battle aura from outside the room. Shampoo...she was gonna barge in, I didn't know what she was gonna do yet, I didn't even know it was her, but her aura was flaring so much that I could feel it, through the wall. So I yelled to get Ukyo's attention, and Shampoo was stopped before she attacked anyone. In the process...well, Gosunkugi was giving Akane her aura back. Halfway there, and then somewhere in between my yellin' and leap to the door, and Shampoo's bargin' in, he panicked. And her aura was shoved back into her, too hard. Akane was knocked out. Later, after the other curses were removed, I took 'er here."

Nabiki watched intently as he spoke. He didn't want to say the parts where he had been an idiot, where his protection had been aimed elsewhere, but he said as much as he had to. Looking at Nabiki firmly, he dared her to question him and his motives. But instead she nodded, looking down to Akane again.

"Shampoo was going to attack Gosunkugi," she said quietly.

"You knew?"

"Ryoga told me."

"Oh. Well...Ukyo told us, too, but she said it too late." He had been mad at his childhood friend for that, but it had lasted only a moment. Still, he had lashed out too, before, and he knew she was still upset about it.

_Feh, she'll get over it...she should know I wasn't thinking straight..._

"Stupid. But...the damage is already done. I wonder why she didn't say it right out...," Nabiki was saying idly. "No matter, we can't do anything about it now. And I should call home...they haven't had an update in a few hours, and they'll be worried."

_Oh man, what am I gonna tell Akane's father? He's gonna be so pissed at me...and Mom...she'll be disappointed..._

As Nabiki left the room, his hand stretched unconsciously, moving to Akane's face. Carefully, he traced the line of her cheekbone with the back of his fingers. Her face was so smooth, and still warm. The warmth reassured him, but not completely.

_Akane...hurry up and get better okay? Just do it...for me..._

Nabiki came back not five minutes later; much faster then he thought she would. He was still standing over his fiancee, staring at her face as though hypnotized. He didn't want to take his eyes off of her, not for a moment. If he hadn't earlier, he reasoned, she wouldn't have been in this mess in the first place.

_If I'd waited before I jumped up...but then Shampoo might've gotten to Gosunkugi faster...arg. There had to be another way around this. Stupid Gosunkugi..._

He could feel his battle aura flare up faintly, then realized that it had been up for a few minutes and pushed it back down. Nabiki stood silently where she had been before, and touched Akane's arm. Ranma sighed, gave Akane's face a hard, probing look, then looked away.

He'd have to do a lot of talking now, and that glass of water Dr. Tofu had told him to get was starting to sound good.

"They're coming?" he asked, looking up at Nabiki. Of course they were coming. They had probably nearly forgotten to put down the phone in their haste to get there.

"They'll be here soon."

"Watch her. I'll be right back," he said, walking out of the room to get water.

"Huh? But this is a hospital bedroom. She'll be-"

"Just do it Nabiki," he growled, leaving the room. Nabiki didn't answer, but he didn't think she would. All he wanted was to make sure Akane was still safe, irrational as it was. All he was doing was getting a drink. But even in doing that, he felt like he was doing a poor job in protecting again.

_Don't be an idiot._

Getting a glass of water from the small kitchen that was in Dr. Tofu's personal quarters, he walked back to the room quickly, taking a large gulp of the liquid. It felt good; he could feel it going down his throat, his esophagus, all the way down to his stomach. He realized he was hungry too, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to eat, just then. Walking back into he room, he saw that Nabiki was still standing at the same place. Ranma put his glass down at a small table and stood by the bed, arms crossed, watching Akane. His expression was hard, and determined; he wasn't going to let anything touch Akane. Not here, not now, not ever again.

"See, she's fine. I think I heard a fly come into the room, but it didn't attack her," said Nabiki, clearly knowing that she was walking on thin ice. Ranma glared at her, hands in fists.

"Not funny," he said, looking into her cold, hard brown eyes. She shook her head slowly, then looked down at Akane as though not having expected the glare.

_Stupid. Why is she making jokes at a time like this..._

"I know. But you need to relax, Ranma. Slipping into the cranky, possessive guardian role is not going to help Akane." Sensing that she may be right, and hating it, Ranma turned to look at Akane again. She'd probably agree with Nabiki, but he didn't care.

"What do YOU know 'bout it?"

"Absolutely nothing," she said, her voice sarcastic. Ranma didn't say another word, but forced himself to calm down. Nothing was going to attack Akane. Not with him there, at least. Letting out a long stream of air through his nose, he turned around to face the door. He had to get ready for the others to show up, now. And for Dr. Tofu to get back.

* * *

><p>Their families did show up before Dr. Tofu, even, and piled into the room. Kasumi and Mr. Tendo went straight for Akane, Soun plunging into a selfless wail as tears flooded his face, concern for his youngest daughter quite obvious. Kasumi, although concerned, merely touched Akane's head and face as Nabiki had, then sought to console her father. He was sitting in a chair in a corner, crying still. Kasumi tended to him, shooting worried looks at her youngest sister in between attention given to their father.<p>

Ranma's parents, after quickly assessing the situation, had ushered Ranma to one side of the room. His father, overbearing as usual, had questioned the situation, questioned how Ranma could let it happen to Akane. But he refused to say anything yet; he had pushed away from him, wanting to tell everyone at once.

Much more subtle and effective, his mother had merely put a comforting hand on his shoulder, and reassured him in soothing tones. She was standing behind him now, one hand on his shoulder still as he watched Akane. Nabiki was out of the room, fetching Dr. Tofu so he could hear the story with the rest of them. All was silent except for the quiet sobs of Akane's father. They stabbed at Ranma's heart, making him feel all the more ashamed, and all the more determined to protect Akane from future harm.

The near silence was disturbed as the door opened slowly, a brown haired girl and a taller, brown haired man with glasses and a labcoat walking in. Nabiki and Dr. Tofu. Ranma noted how Nabiki wisely blocked his view of Kasumi, immediately taking him instead to Akane's side. His eyes had started to look at the others in the room, but once fixed on the patient, remained. Ranma sighed with relief; Dr. Tofu's infatuation with Kasumi often distracted him, and he didn't want anymore distractions now.

"Nabiki says we're all ready for your explanation, Ranma," said Dr. Tofu, his eyes going from Akane's closed lids to his own dark blue ones. Feeling put on the spot, Ranma stiffened his posture, and nodded.

"It started with a note..."

The story was easier to tell once he got into it. He had few interruptions; the occasional question from Mr. Tendo, and his own father, and that was it. Dr. Tofu had taken on a thoughtful expression, which had darkened as he elaborated about the curses. Nabiki shook her head from time to time, distractedly looking through a bag of things Kasumi had brought for Akane. The others wore frowns, and he felt his mother's grip tighten a few times on his shoulder as he continued.

"...so then I picked her up, and carried her here," finished Ranma, gesturing to Akane unnecessarily. All eyes were on her again. Dr. Tofu touched her head, gently moving some hair as his fingers felt behind her ears, then to her cheeks. Pulling away, he frowned, shaking his head slowly.

"What is it doctor? What's wrong with my Akane?" wailed Mr. Tendo from behind him.

"I can't be sure just yet...I've only heard of a few cases of things like this happening. Hit by her own aura..." His eyes appeared to bore through Akane's skull, as though trying to see into her head. Slowly, he looked down to her shoulders, her waist, all the way to her toes, then back up again. His expression remained concerned, and Ranma realized he was looking at her ki. Her aura.

"She seems perfectly fine, physically, and there is nothing on her ki that would suggest otherwise. Which leads me to one conclusion; her body has gone into shock. Akane...is most likely in a coma. I'll need to keep her here for a few days for tests, but for now...that's my diagnosis." The room came to life with concern, begging for solutions, for a cure, for answers, but Ranma stayed silent, watching Akane.

_A coma...? So she's okay? But she's still not here..._

Suddenly unaware of everyone else in the room, Ranma reached forward and grabbed Akane's hand. It was soft, and very small in his large, calloused hand. Small, and delicate he realized. So delicate. He watched her with hard eyes, barely hearing the buzzing in the room. He felt as though he had gone back to the nothingness again, that Cologne had taught him earlier. Was Akane in the nothingness too, now? He couldn't really see, or feel, or hear; his senses were dulled. There was nothing. Nothing except Akane, and looking at her, his eyes were beginning to blur.

Then he noticed the voices were starting to fade, to move. Without looking up, he began to regain knowledge of what was going on in the room. Someone was ushering out the others; the hand left his shoulder after patting him softly, but Ranma couldn't move. He was frozen in his blurry eyed stare. Slowly, he listened as everyone else left the room, leaving Ranma alone with Akane.

Only then did he move, and that was to hold her hand tighter.

* * *

><p>Pushing everyone else out of the room, including her own father whose eyes lingered on Akane, Nabiki walked out quickly then closed the door behind her. She had been the first to see the light in Ranma's eyes fade, when Dr. Tofu had mentioned the possibility of the coma. Others had picked up on it as well; Kasumi, her dad, the doctor, but everyone noticed once he had picked up Akane's hand.<p>

_He never shows affection like that in public...he must be really upset..._

Nabiki wasn't one to be sentimental, but she did still understand human feelings. She knew that right now, Ranma needed to be alone with Akane; everyone else could go to another room to hear the rest of the news. Talking in low voices, they made their way to the waiting room, the people who had been there earlier now gone.

"I want her here for at least a night or two, for observation. One or more of you is free to stay as well, but I wouldn't recommend you all wait; it's not healthy for you, and it's not going to make things go any faster," Dr. Tofu was saying, as she and Mr. Tendo joined them.

"I could stay, and help," offered Kasumi. The wild look that appeared in Dr. Tofu's eyes as he looked towards Nabiki's older sister was a clear indication that that was not a good idea.

"You'd better not, Kasumi. We'll need you at home," said Nabiki quickly.

"Yes, Kasumi...I would stay myself, but...," began Mr. Tendo, briefly stopping the tears long enough to speak. He still looked to be in the throws of depression, and Nabiki moved her eyes from him.

_That's another one to go home and have a good cry in his bed...and as much as I care about Akane, I can't stay here._

"Ranma will stay," said Nadoka suddenly, her eyes down as though she didn't like the announcement.

"But doesn't he have school? And what about training?" argued Ranma's father.

"Dear...you saw the look on his face in there. I'm not saying he'll stay because I'm nominating him. I'm saying it because that's how it is. We might be able to tear him away, after a while, for school and training, but for right now...you spent much more time with our son then I have. You should know," she said, her voice soft yet quickly cowing Mr. Saotome into a short mutter, then silence.

"Dr. Tofu...what can we do for Akane, in the meantime?" asked Nabiki. She always hated uncomfortable silences, and waiting. She wanted to do something, to act. Waiting for so long earlier with Kuno and Kodachi still had her on edge.

"Make sure she's comfortable. Maybe change her out of those clothes. That's about it. Ranma did the right thing, bringing her here as soon as he could," said Dr. Tofu, rubbing his chin.

"Hey, Kasumi?" asked Nabiki, looking to her older sister. Her face was still bordering on pleasant, though Nabiki knew that was mostly an attempt to keep their father from going over the edge with worry. If Kasumi ever looked upset...Nabiki had wondered, before, if that was maybe a sign of a coming apocalypse.

"Yes?"

"We'll give Ranma another minute, then go in and change her clothes." Seeing the logic in the plan, Kasumi nodded. Leaning against the wall, Nabiki sighed, and looked at her watch. She couldn't believe it was still the same day. Her bones ached for sleep, even though she had spent a lot of it sitting down.

She heard the others talk, ask questions, and finally Dr. Tofu had to leave as another patient showed up. Nabiki looked at her watch again and was irritated to see that only ten minutes had gone by. Why was time going slowly again? Ranma hadn't come out yet. Sighing, she looked over at Kasumi, her eyes conveying words that sisters didn't have to say. Slowly, Kasumi got up and said a few comforting words to their father. That done, she walked to Nabiki, bag in hand, and they headed back to the room.

"Ranma? We're coming in," said Nabiki, opening the door. She had even knocked first, though she wasn't sure why. Maybe to give him time to compose himself, to pull up the mask of confident, unaffected calm that he usually wore so proudly. But even as they walked in he still looked upset. He did look at them this time at least; his eyes still sad, and determined. And lost. Nabiki swallowed hard, as her and Kasumi walked up to he bed.

"We're going to change her clothes, Ranma," said Kasumi in a low voice.

"Okay." But he didn't move. Raising an eyebrow, Nabiki shot him a meaningful look, then grabbed Kasumi's bag and held it at eye level.

"Ranma? Try listening before you say okay. We're going to change her clothes," she said, a touch louder then Kasumi. She knew she had gotten through, though, as Ranma flushed and released Akane's hand.

"Oh. I'll...uhh...yeah," he said, walking out quickly. His hand hesitated at the door, but soon it was closed. Wordlessly, Kasumi pulled down the shades on the windows and began taking articles out of the bag, draping them over the chair. Akane's favourite yellow flannel pants; a pair of thin, white socks with matching panties; white slippers that she probably wouldn't get to use in a long while; Akane's usual sleep shirt, yellow as well, and sleeveless.

Nabiki found herself shivering as she watched Kasumi lay out the clothing. It was motherly, but at the same time, so methodical. Almost unconcerned. She didn't even notice that she wasn't moving until Kasumi had walked over to her, and looked at her with curiosity.

"Nabiki? You're usually more together then this. Are you alright?" Her voice smooth as honey. Nabiki shook her head, trying to get herself out of her stupor, but found it wasn't that easy.

"Oh my...Nabiki...you have been holding it all in." Kasumi shook her head and reaching up to touch Nabiki's face gently.

"No, no...I know she'll be okay...it's alright."

_Oh god, is that my voice? I sound like such a child..._

Kasumi stroked her hair tenderly, and Nabiki was suddenly aware of the height difference, and the age difference. Despite that Kasumi was older by only two years, she felt so much younger then her. And less mature, at that moment. Less together.

_But I'm supposed to be the together one..._

"Shh. Dr. Tofu said she will be just fine. We need to change Akane out of her sweaty dress and into her clean, comfortable pyjamas. Won't you help?" Her voice was so soothing, and Nabiki hated it and loved it at the same time. She didn't want to be soothed. She wanted to be in control.

Looking over at her other sister's comatose form, she felt another shiver come over her. The three of them were so...different. Did Akane think she was the most together too? The strongest? Certainly Akane was the strongest of them physically, but mentally? Or did she know it was really Kasumi, when it came down to the testing? Would Akane even want her there now, helping her change? She had only been irritating her little sister, lately.

"Of course I'll help."

"Oh, good. Put her clothes in this bag, as you take them off. I'll wash them when we get home."

And then the two were silent.

Nabiki tried to keep her thoughts from invading her mind, but they came unbidden. It had been a while since the three of them had been together, alone like this. Even with Akane out of commission at the moment, they were still together. It felt so oddly commonplace; as though they were all kids again, and Akane had worn herself out running. Nabiki could pretend that Akane had fallen asleep in her clothes, as she had done many times when they were kids. And then Kasumi, still the boss even as a child, would urge her to pick up her little sister; put her in bed, take off her shoes and socks and make her comfortable. Nabiki would pout as she did so, jealous that Akane had so much energy to run around. Akane had been the apple of her father's eye; the one with the gift in the art. Kasumi was the oldest, and thus the most loved and respected. But Nabiki...

_Middle child angst? Aren't I above that, now?_

Carefully, she undressed her younger sister, giving Kasumi Akane's clothes as she went. The articles were folded carefully and put into Kasumi's plastic bag; Nabiki tried not to look at Akane's pale, pale skin as they continued, Nabiki lifting up the appropriate limbs as Kasumi put on her underclothes, then tshirt, then pants and finally her socks. When they were done, Kasumi neatly placed the white, fuzzy slippers beside the bed, then stood beside Nabiki near Akane's head.

"Thank you, Nabiki," said Kasumi pleasantly, reaching forward to fix a few creases and wrinkles in Akane's clothing. "Now we just need to brush her hair."

"Oh...right...you have it?" Nabiki carefully picked up Akane's upper body and held her in a sitting position. She was like a big doll, right now; so limp. It was odd to see Akane limp, when she was so strong.

"I do." Kasumi walked over to the table, then back with Akane's hairbrush in hand. Nabiki held Akane by the shoulders as Kasumi slowly, methodically brushed their sisters dark blue hair. Humming a tune, Kasumi seemed unconcerned as always, and Nabiki felt the urge to reprimand her for it but wasn't quite sure why. Wasn't Akane alright? And this was the best they could do for her?

"There, much better. You may put her back," said Kasumi, stepping back as she patted down the short, now brushed hair. Nabiki obeyed, then stepped back to look at her again. She didn't look as worn out as she had earlier; moving her around had caused blood to circulate further, and now she looked warmer, and her face less pale.

"She looks like she's sleeping."

"She is. In a way. I don't know much about comas, but...essentially, she is sleeping," said Kasumi.

"We should let Ranma back in here. He's probably going crazy out there...," said Nabiki, heading for the door. Kasumi just smiled, gathering together all the pieces to take home and leaving a few of Akane's things on the table. Her hairbrush, a toothbrush, other small toiletries.

"It's alright to be upset, Nabiki." Nabiki stopped, slumping her shoulders, and turned around.

"It's easier when I don't let myself."

"I know."

With those small, quiet words, the two left the room, allowing Ranma to rush back in and reclaim his place beside their sister.

_She knows, does she...ugh, Kasumi...knows me and doesn't at the same time._

* * *

><p><em>What's going on? How long was I zoned out for?<em> The voice chuckled eerily with her own mental vocals.

"I trust you've rested well. The questions are back."

_I wouldn't call it resting._

"Neither would I, if I had taken more time to choose my words. Your body is fine...you've been looked at by the doctor, and your sisters just finished changing your clothes."

_My sisters? How are they? Are they worried?_

"Fine. Kasumi has lost herself in duty, and is eating up anything optimistic that Dr. Tofu says about you. Nabiki...she's fine, but she seems to be fighting herself emotionally. You don't always get along with Nabiki, do you?"

_...not always. Lately she's been too nosy, and we've fought._

"Well they're gone now. Ranma's back at your side, I can feel him."

_...Ranma..._

"Shh, it's okay Akane."

_Heh...now you sound like Kasumi..._

"Now that's interesting. Maybe..."

_What?_

"...never mind..."

* * *

><p>Ranma watched as the father of her fiancee slowly, finally, left the room, Kasumi guiding his shoulder gently. The feeling of relief was odd, but short; he had nothing to say to Akane's father that would help the situation, and he doubted either was having a good time standing at Akane's bedside, trying to sort out something to say. Everyone else had gone home soon after Akane's clothing had been changed, saying they would be back tomorrow. Only Ranma, Mr. Tendo and Kasumi had stayed another hour, waiting around the bed in mostly silence. It was maddening, frustrating, and most of all depressing. Not that he thought having Mr. Tendo and Kasumi gone would suddenly make things better; he didn't think anything would make it better, not like that. But it certainly would make the silence easier to deal with.<p>

"Looks like it's just us now. Mom said she'd come back with stuff for me. Snd schoolbooks. Feh. Like I'm in any mood to study," he told the unconscious Akane, pulling the small, wooden chair that was against the wall over to the bed so he could sit while still being within an arm's length of her. Although he was now out of the initial shock, the protective instinct was still heavy; he didn't want to let Akane out of his sight for even a second. It seemed the others had expected that too, as no one had even flinched when he announced he was staying the night. An unnecessary move, maybe, but he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight anyway. It was just too...weird, without Akane. He didn't want to go back to the Tendo house without her.

"And no, I'm not gettin' any ideas." He could practically hear her calling him a pervert for wanting to spend the night in a room with her. Somehow though, he was fairly certain Akane wouldn't mind, in this situation. As long as all he was doing was protecting.

"I hope Mom brings some manga too. It's gonna be a long night," he said, looking at Akane out of the corner of his eye. What was it that Kasumi had told him earlier? Not to worry, she was just sleeping?

_Feh. Sleeping...even I don't sleep like that...Akane always has a hard time waking me up...but I don't think anyone could wake up Akane now..._

Frowning sadly, he averted his eyes and let out a long, low sigh. This was definitely an odd situation. Normally when Akane was in trouble, there was something he could do to get her out of it. A journey to make, ordeals to go through, obstacles to obliterate. There was a goal, and a path, and specific things to do. Heck, there were usually maps. But this time...he was powerless. He could protect her, certainly, but from what? No one was out to get her. No one was trying to steal her from him, kidnap her, or change her into anything against her will. She was just in a coma. Leaving Ranma completely helpless. It was depressing, and frustrating, and made Ranma almost wish there was a challenge instead. At least there, her getting better depended on the speed in which he succeeded. Now...he could do anything, or nothing, and it probably wouldn't help. Dr. Tofu wasn't even completely certain it was a coma yet. That had just been his initial diagnosis.

"Ya picked a bad time to go out, too. We've got things to talk about. Shampoo's gone, but not for long...we need to be outta here before she gets back. Or somethin'...maybe just..." Even with her unconscious, he couldn't say the word. Married. Mostly because he didn't even know if that was the solution yet. His face twitched, and he stopped, not looking at Akane anymore.

"And hey, what about school? It ends in a coupla weeks, we've got exams and stuff. So you should just wake up now, okay? I know you might be kinda weak, but I could carry you home. It'd be fine. Whaddya say?" For the last two words, he turned to look at her face again. It was so helpless, so defenseless right now. So motionless. Again, Ranma looked away, shaking his head.

"That's what I thought. Just get better...please?...I'll be nice, I swear. I won't call ya names, or insult your intelligence...I won't even yell at you if you accidently turn me into a girl. Much. Just...hurry up."

When Nadoka Saotome came back about forty minutes later, Ranma had moved to one of the windows of the room. He was looking outside at the street, watching people go by, and the occasional car. Having heard the door open, he was already turned around when his mother walked in. Her face was pleasant, though with a hint of sadness. In her hands she had Ranma's schoolbag as well as a small lunchbox of food. Taking two steps into the room, she paused at the foot of Akane's bed, her eyes moving to the blue-haired girl slowly. But then she turned, putting the things on the table gently before approaching Ranma.

"Ranma..."

"Hey," he said, trying to sound casual. But he knew his face was hard, and that his muscles were tense.

"I brought you some food...and schoolbooks, and something to wear tomorrow. And a few books...Nabiki suggested that. I don't know if I brought the right ones, I just took the ones from your room that your father said you read sometimes." Ranma noted that her voice was softer then usual.

_She's tiptoeing around me..._

"Thanks. Whatever you brought's fine," he said, not wanting to upset her.

"Will you be...going to school tomorrow?" It was a justifiable question, but Ranma realized that he hadn't thought that far ahead.

_School...ah man, I forgot about actually going to school...but I can't..._

Unconsciously, he turned to Akane as though expecting her to give the answer. When she didn't, as he knew she wouldn't, he slowly turned back to look at his mother.

"Dunno. Depends how I feel tomorrow, I guess. But I can't just leave her like this." Nadoka nodded expectantly, her eyes also looking towards Akane.

"I understand how you feel, son, but surely...you know Akane wouldn't want you to miss out, so close to the end. She's been trying hard to get you studying; don't make all her hard work go to waste." Her words made Ranma's heart sink.

"I know that."

"Couldn't I stay here in your place? Or your father? Or maybe a friend."

"...no."

"I see..."

"I just need to be here for a while, okay? Just...lemme be." He looked away from her now, wondering if he had spoken too harshly. It was the truth, wasn't it? He did want to be alone. And he didn't want to leave anyone else to protect Akane. Not just yet.

"Oh. Well I'm sorry I bothered you...," replied Nadoka, walking out of the room.

"Wait. Mom, I...I didn't mean it like that," he apologized, watching her stop and look at him over her shoulder.

"I know dear. You're upset. You may have been away from me for a long time, but I know my son. Just...don't forget to take care of yourself, alright? And try to study...Akane would want you to," she said, her voice so sure and forgiving that Ranma felt his face flush in embarrassment for what he had said.

"Yeah...I know. I will."

"Goodnight then, Ranma. And don't forget to sleep."

"I won't."

Once the door was shut, he picked up the lunchbox and accompanying chopsticks, and sat back down in the chair. Opening the box, he looked inside, smelling the contents; pork dumplings, rice, crab ragoon. Even a couple of chocolates off in a separate section. It was appetizing, but Ranma found himself just staring at it, unable to take a bite.

It eventually went cold before he just gave up, put the lid back on, and set the box down on the counter where it had been.

* * *

><p><em>How long has it been?<em>

"How long since when?"

Akane considered the question; she had started doing that a while ago. It saved time, really, for if she asked a question oddly, or too broadly, the voice would often just tease her, or ask her to rephrase it.

_Since I got to the hospital. How long? _The voice paused, and Akane wondered what it was doing. Thinking? Trying to remember? Surely it didn't have any sort of timepiece, or access to something like the sun, stuck as it was in Akane's mind. From what she could tell, it only had a very small grasp on what went on in the world. And even that didn't involve vision, or physical manifestation, she had noted.

"A few hours now."

_Oh. It feels...longer._

"It always does." The voice had a soothing tone to it; her soothing tone.

_I know you answered this already but...who are you? Really? I was thinking back to the creation story, and there are holes in it. _To her surprise, the voice didn't laugh. It wasn't the first time she had made a grandiose claim as that. Every other time, the voice had laughed as though it were the most amusing thing ever. But this time, it was silent. Almost...contemplative.

"Really. Where?"

_Well...how do you know who has a coma, and where? And it's not like comas are so rare...I bet hundreds, no, thousands of people in the world have comas right now._

"I think you're closer with the thousands. But no, you're right. That is a problem." The voice sounded unconcerned.

_But then how...?_

"I don't know. I hadn't thought of it."

_..._

"Okay, so maybe it had occurred to me. I don't know the answer, though."

_Oh..._

"Hey, you're not losing your fire already, are you?"

_What do you mean?_

"You've gone passive."

_I have not! ...Hey, are you saying I was aggressive earlier?_

"Whoa, no I didn't say that. But...don't let yourself get too passive."

_Why not?_

"Might lead to madness."

_Might?!_ The voice laughed, and Akane realized she was being played with.

"Oh come on, learn to take a joke."

_That wasn't funny._

"Akane?" said a different voice. A male voice. If she had access to her other senses, her eyes would have gone wide. Was that...Ranma's voice? Did the other being do that? Or was that her head messing with her again?

_...don't do that._

"It wasn't me, it was you. We're in your mind, remember? I explained this already. In your head, you have voices of many, many people stored. One of which is Ranma. Not surprising, considering how much time you spend with him; he lives in your house, and is in nearly all of your classes. You called his voice to mind, not me."

_But I...I didn't do it. Not that time._

"Yes you did," the voice said, though gently. "Stop kidding yourself. You're allowed to miss him."

Akane wanted to sigh, but the lack of control of her lungs made the act impossible. Instead, she remained quiet, considering what the voice had said. She didn't think she had called his voice; she had been surprised when she heard it. If she had called it up in her mind, she should have expected it, shouldn't she?

_How is he?_

"I don't know. He's not close enough to you right now. I only know that he's near."

_Oh...you'll let me know if he comes closer, right?_

"Of course. He was fine, the last time."

_I remember...I just...worry. He's not one to just sit around, and wait._

"This isn't the first time you've been in danger; he'll be okay."

_True, but it's one of the first times he's unable to do anything to help._ The voice was silent, as though unsure of the appropriate response. When it still didn't respond after several seconds, Akane began to wonder if it had left. Could it leave? Or was her mind so large that it could wander off? Despite her irritation with it, she didn't want it to go away. It was her link to Ranma, and the world outside her body.

_Hello?_

"I'm still here."

_Oh. I...wasn't sure._

"I'm always here. Always."

_...And there's nothing you can do?_

"Nothing. Yet.."

_Yet?_

"Be patient, Akane. I think it's getting closer, but I...don't know. Just...wait. It'll work out. I promise."

* * *

><p>He wasn't sure what had woken him up. It may have been the unsettling dream, though he had slept through many of those. It could have also been the fact that Dr. Tofu had come in, set down a tray, and began examining Akane. But then, he had slept through noise and the presence of others many times more as well. Noting the fact that there was sunlight coming in the room, he wondered if that had been it; it was hurting his eyes now, and he snapped them back shut almost as soon as he had looked at the other two people in the room.<p>

_Probably all three...ugh, my back and shoulders are killin' me..._

"Ranma. Good, you're up. Did you manage to sleep through the night? I was hoping you would." Ranma heard him moving around the sheets on Akane's bed, and allowed one of his dark blue eyes to open. The sunlight definitely hurt. And his back, and his shoulders, and his head, and...

"Unghh...," he groaned, stretching his arms and then opening his eyes completely. He was embarrassed to hear joints crack; how long had he been sitting down? Since last evening? "How, uhh...how is she?" Slowly, the room around him became less blurry. It was a wonderful change from the dream he had; in it, he had been in a dark room, and could hear Akane calling to him. But he couldn't see, and couldn't move. All he could do was listen to her call for him; she couldn't even seem to hear him shout to her, and explain that he was tied down. She had sounded so distressed too, and...hollow. Like she didn't really expect a response, but wanted to try, just in case.

"As well as she can be. She could use some human interaction, though...," began Dr. Tofu. Shaking away the cobwebs of dreams, Ranma blinked up at the doctor, still feeling tired.

"Human interaction?"

"Treatment for coma patients. Having family around, talking, just the presence of the familiar. There's no concrete proof that it helps, but then again, there's no proof that it doesn't."

Ranma got up and stood at Akane's bedside. She looked the same as she had last night, more or less. Skin pale, hair neatly combed, chest rising and falling in breath. He noticed that she was in pyjamas, as though for the first time. White sheets stopped at her waist, wrinkled, though still smooth enough to show that she had not moved in the night. Her arms lay passively on top of the sheets; in one of her arms, Dr. Tofu had hooked up an I.V., which Ranma noted had been done just recently.

_She's so...cute._

Realizing that he was staring, he shook his head, then turned to the doctor.

_I shouldn't be thinkin' things like that...she's unconscious...but..._

"So uhh...whaddya want me to do? Talk to her?" he asked, hoping the doctor hadn't noticed. But he had an odd smirk on his face, as though he were both pleased and saddened.

"Something like that. Talk to her, hold her hand, play her favourite music. Even though she can't speak, hear or see right now, she can still feel...to an extent. The more we can keep her body feeling as though it's still going through the familiar motions, the sooner we can get her back."

It did make sense, but hadn't that been what they were doing anyway? It had seemed the natural thing to do. Slowly, he looked back over at Akane, his expression serious.

_Talk to her..._

"What do I say?"

"Anything. It's not about what you say; it's about the tone, and whose voice it is." Nervously, Ranma felt his eye twitch, then calmed it.

"Okay...uh...yo, Akane." The lack of response left him more crestfallen then he thought it would. As though sensing this, the doctor busied himself with something on the other side of the room.

"I dunno what I'm supposed to say, but...I'm here. Interacting. Yeah...can you really feel me? Are you in there?" He let his voice go lower, looking at her face still. At her closed eyelids. He could picture her lively grey eyes in his mind; images of them mad, upset, serious, happy, laughing. Akane had so many expressions, but right now, it was just...peaceful. Sober. He wondered what her eyes would look like right then, if she were awake. Would they be sparkling? Happy to see him? Annoyed to be awakened so early?

_So early...what time is it...?_

"Hey, Doc...what time is it?"

"About seven, maybe seven fifteen by now." He was organizing some tools and bottles on a counter.

"Oh. Thanks." He blinked, then took a deep breath. Seven AM.

"You hear that? Seven in the morning, and I got up on my own. No need for water. Toldja it could be done." In his mind, he watched Akane smirk; one of his hands began to shake.

"So, uhh..."

He gulped, trying to figure out what to say. The fact that he wasn't alone didn't help, but he had a feeling he wouldn't be much more talkative with the doctor gone.

_Guess I'll just have to go for the other kind of interacting._

After a quick look to make sure Dr. Tofu really wasn't paying attention to him, he picked up Akane's hand, holding it tightly in his own. It was cold now; she had spent the night sleeping with the covers over her up to her chin, and yet her hands were still cold. Rubbing the skin slightly with his thumb, he tried to feel her aura, but it was no use; she hadn't used it recently enough. Although Dr. Tofu was skilled enough to still see her ki, Ranma could only see it on certain occasions; if it was in use, had been used recently, or if it was being kept barely at bay.

_Akane...Akane..._

"There's something else you can do for her, too." Ranma turned his head quickly to the doctor, but schooled his body to stay still.

"What?"

"Take care of yourself. I don't expect you to go to school if you don't want to, but I want you to have breakfast. And go for a run. I heard your joints popping when you woke up; your body isn't used to being so still for so long." Ranma sighed, looking away. He was getting sick of people telling him what to do; here was Akane, defenseless and unresponsive, and everyone was suddenly jumping on him to do something else. To not be there. It made him sick.

"Feh. You sound like my Pop."

"Maybe so, but I'm not your Pop. I'm your doctor."

When Ranma didn't say anything, the doctor stood up, walking over to him.

"How's this. Akane needs to be bathed, and I need to run some tests. My nurse will be here soon for that very purpose; I'll still be here, watching over things for you. I want you to run home, get some exercise, eat, and then after that you can come back." Ranma thought it over, looking down at Akane's face. He definitely didn't want to be around for the bathing; Akane would kill him the second she woke up, for one. And he was getting hungry...

_But..._

"Ranma."

"Fine," he sighed, letting go of Akane's hand and wincing as he saw it limply fall the two inches to the bed. Moving to the counter, he picked up the still not eaten tray of food from last night and examined it's contents. Some of it was still edible; the chocolates, for one. Quickly, he ate the edible portions, planning on tossing the rest before he got home, then grabbed the bag with his clothes in it.

"Gimme a few," he said, heading for the bathroom that adjoined the patient's room.

"Of course."

He quickly changed, then ran his fingers through his hair lightly, taking a moment to rebraid his pigtail. His outfit was more casual now; just an ordinary pair of black pants, and a sleeveless blue shirt. Worn, and comfortable, and clean. Once done, he shoved his dirty clothes in the bag and walked back out to the main room.

Dr. Tofu wasn't in there anymore; the door was closed, and the bottles he had been working with were still on the counter. Barely taking this in, he walked up to Akane's bed, looking at her again.

"Hey, I'm gonna go now. Not for long, I'll be back. Dr. Tofu's still here...and there'll be a nurse soon. So uhh...don't worry. Okay? Umm...see ya later. Akane." He tried for a smile, and failed. But the doctor had said talking would help, so talk he did.

Without another word he left the room, letting the doctor know he was going on the way out. As soon as he was out the door, he burst into a hard, fast run. It was with great effort that he didn't immediately turn around and head back.

* * *

><p>"He's awake now."<p>

_Awake? It's the next day? But I..._

"Feel like it hasn't been long enough? I know. Time passes by in weird ways, like this."

_Oh...what's he doing? How is he?_

"He's talking with you. Well, to you, I don't think he really expects you to talk back. But now he's stopped. He's holding your hand."

_..._

"He's alright, Akane."

_I know, but...it feels..._

"Odd?"

_Yes._

"...let's talk about something else."


	17. Wherever I Will Roam

**Chapter Four: Wherever I Will Roam**

_"...Darling, just for me, can't I wait for you?  
>In your heart, oh, I can make you feel so brand new<br>this is bigger then the both of us  
>here's a love that's meant to be.<br>It's in the stars above,  
>wanna fall in love!"<em> - "Equal Romance", Ranma 1/2

The air was alive with smells and sensations; the warmth of the grill, the smell of spices and cooking food, the dampness of steam. The sound of people talking and eating was also spicing the air; Ukyo had customers. Three boys sat around one of the tables, eating okonomiyaki and drinking green tea while talking animatedly. At another table, two girls sat alone, eating and giggling as they talked. Ucchan's was back to normal, clientele-wise.

The chef, Ukyo, flipped an okonomiyaki in the air one more time, then watched it on the grill for a moment. It sizzled, obviously done, and she picked it up with her spatula, putting it on a plate which she handed to the black haired boy across from her. Finally, she sat down to eat her own which she had set aside.

"Thanks," said the boy, Ryoga, taking the plate and breathing in the smell of the steam before taking a bite. He was sitting on his usual stool, across the bar. The one she still hadn't told him that Akane had sat on; it didn't matter so much to her now, though. She didn't think it would matter to him either; plenty of people had sat there. Hadn't they? Ranma had probably sat there at one point too.

"No problem, sugar."

Ukyo had just arrived home from school not a half hour ago; most of the clientele she had in there at the moment had followed, eager for a snack before heading home. It made her happy, to see customers eating her food. Paying customers. Her cash register had started to look anorexic, but she knew she could make it back again. It wasn't the first time business had slumped.

"So, uh...how was school?"

After the events at the Nekohanten, Ryoga had opted to stay the night at Ukyo's. Again. But he had not slept in her room this time, especially not as a human. Instead he had slept in the spare room on the floor, eager to have a place for the night. She had been surprised to still see him when she got home; instead of leaving, he had stayed, helping Konatsu clean. She was surprised Konatsu let him, but then, maybe Ryoga hadn't given him a choice.

Ukyo flinched at the question, despite that she had expected it. She had learned a possibly unsettling piece of information at school that day. Information that her companion probably wouldn't like. She hadn't liked it, certainly.

"Okay. But...Ranma and Akane weren't there. Gosunkugi was, and Kuno was, and I was sure Ranma and Akane would be. But I didn't see them all day," she said, shoving a bite of her cooking into her mouth and chewing thoughtfully.

"They weren't? I thought you said they go every day?" asked Ryoga, frowning as he looked up at Ukyo.

"They do. Normally. But today they just weren't there. I asked Daisuke to ask Gosunkugi if he knew why, but apparently Gosunkugi hadn't stayed a second longer then he had to. When he left, Akane was still unconscious." She met Ryoga's eyes, trying to figure out what he was thinking. The news had left her confused, and uncertain of Akane's health.

"Who's Daisuke?"

"The guy who gave us Gosunkugi's address."

"Oh. Oh, right."

"So...they were absent. It kinda made me wonder...about Akane."

_Should I really be telling him this, after everything that's happened? But still...he does care about Akane. And I'd like to know if something happened to Ranma..._

"I hope she's okay...," he said quietly, and Ukyo noticed that he was doing less eating and more pushing around food on his plate. Sighing, she looked down.

"I thought you'd like to know."

"I do. Thanks."

"No problem. Hey, listen..."

Before she could get out the last of her sentence out, the door to her restaurant opened. Immediately, brown and dark orange eyes alike turned to face it, and they were silenced. A young girl of medium height stood there, her long brown hair tied back with a pink ribbon. She wore a short pink jumper dress with a yellow blouse, and her large blue eyes fixed themselves on Ryoga within a second.

It was Akari.

The girl walked up to them purposefully, a frown on her face, and sat at the chair just to Ryoga's left. But once seated, she just looked at Ukyo. A look of recognition was obvious in her face, but didn't match her words.

"One chicken okonomiyaki, please," she said quite calmly. It took Ukyo a minute to nod her head yes.

"Su-sure...," she said, giving Ryoga a meaningful look. He was looking at the girl out of the corner of his eye, nervously. Ukyo furrowed her brow, then picked up the bowls of sauce and dough.

_I should probably leave them alone...I'm surprised Akari hasn't come here sooner, she saw me following Ryoga..._

"I'll just cook...over...here."

She moved over a few paces to her left, enough to give the very nervous Ryoga a sense of privacy. She hoped.

* * *

><p>"Akari..."<p>

Ryoga silently yelled at Ukyo for moving away and leaving him alone to his task like that. How could she just tell him that, then leave him as soon as more complications came in the door?

_I do need to talk to her...but dammit...Akane..._

"Ryoga. You seem to be doing well, here." Ryoga noticed that Akari wasn't looking at him either; her voice was still calm, though perhaps timid. And upset.

_Well of course she's upset..._

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

"Well, obviously. A new girlfriend, who you seem to have an easier time finding, and she can cook too?" Her voice was tinged with bitterness. Ryoga immediately flushed, breaking a plate as he gripped the counter for support.

"Ukyo's not my girlfriend!" he said, more loudly then he intended. Akari was silent for a moment, then suddenly Ukyo was there again, handing a full plate to her and trying her best to not look at Ryoga. He looked at her cheek, blushing furiously.

_She heard that...I hope she's not mad...arg..._

"Ukyo...?"

Instead of answering him, she sniffed, then went out into the restaurant to attend to the customers. Confused, Ryoga's eyes followed her, watching her hips sway in annoyance, and her long hair bounce on her back.

_She IS mad! At what? What I said? Or maybe it's because I broke another plate..._

"Or maybe things have not yet developed...," said Akari softly as she began eating her food. Suddenly remembering her, he put all his attention back to the girl beside him.

"What are you talking about, Akari?"

"Nothing. Everything." She sighed heavily and suddenly put down her utensils. Turning to Ryoga, she looked up at him, her face full of anguish. Ryoga winced, knowing all at once that he was the cause of it, and he wouldn't be able to make it better. Not for a long while, if ever.

"You don't care for me anymore, do you, Ryoga? You haven't written, you haven't visited...though I can forgive you for the last one. But then...you made it here. And this is not the first time you've been here, either." Ryoga's eyes went wide.

"Whoa, whoa, you've been spying on me?" he asked, feeling less sorry for the girl at the implication. Akari sighed, then turned back to her food.

"After a fashion..."

"And that's supposed to mean what?"

"I just...followed. I asked around if anyone knew an Ukyo, and gave her description. I was worried about you! You just ran out, and you were so upset. After Akane..." She stopped to clear her throat, then shook her head. "I ran into someone who said they were sure the girl I was looking for was the owner of Ucchan's Okonomiyaki. So I came here...and saw you, twice. Once in the window, I saw you as P-chan with a woman I didn't know. A waitress? Tall, cute, with long black hair?"

"That's waiter, actually...," Ryoga corrected. Konatsu was often mistaken for a female by the uninitiated.

"What? Really?" she asked, surprised. When Ryoga nodded blankly, she continued.

"Anyway. Another time you were here as a human, and so was Ranma and Akane. You know...at first, I thought it was some kind of double date...you four were sitting around a table, eating, and talking. But then I noticed how depressed you and Ukyo looked. And how tired Ranma and Akane looked..." Her voice sounded confused near the end.

"That is a long, long story that I do NOT want to get into," said Ryoga quickly. And firmly, he hoped. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ukyo walk back over to the grill; she looked at him uncertainly for a moment, but then he moved his eyes back to Akari as she began speaking again.

"You can keep your secrets, Ryoga. I just wanted to know...if you were alright," she said, and gasped suddenly as though fighting back a sob. Guiltily, Ryoga turned to her, and saw a tear fall down her cheek. As though he were struck, he froze, unable to say any words to help. "So are you? Alright?"

"Err...umm...well..." He didn't actually know the answer to the question, and just shook his head, shrugging uselessly.

"That's what he thought." Then suddenly he felt her small, warm hand reaching for his underneath the table. Surprised, he immediately pulled away, standing up and moving away from her. Akari's eyes went wide at the sudden rejection. Another tear fell to join the first, and then another, falling in small splashes on the bar.

"No, no Akari...please..."

"Please what? I'm not supposed to be upset by your suddenly hurtful behaviour? Am I that horrid to you that I can't even try to comfort you by holding your hand?" Suddenly realizing that the conversation was getting much too loud, and much too personal, he reclaimed his seat, keeping close enough to the girl so she'd quiet down. At least, he hoped she would.

"No...of course not. I'm sorry, it's just...," he began, feeling his face flush at the conflicting emotions. He didn't want Akari as a girlfriend, he knew that now. But he certainly didn't want to upset her, or make her cry. He hated making others cry.

"It's just what?" she asked hotly, wiping her tears away with a small, white silk handkerchief that she had pulled out of her pocket.

"I'm just...I'm just not ready for a relationship right now. I shouldn't have started anything with you, but...you pushed. And you pushed, and others pushed. Heck, even I pushed myself. I thought I was ready. I did...do...like you. But..." He trailed off, trying to figure out if his words were any good at all.

"Not the way you liked Akane."

"...no. Not the way I...liked...Akane," he said finally, feeling the familiar sadness come at the sound of the blue-haired girl's name. Akari nodded, as though expecting this, and began pulling out yen from her pocket. She counted out the appropriate amount for one okonomiyaki, plus a small tip, and placed it delicately on the bar beside her plate.

"I almost wish you had not beaten my sumo pig, that day...maybe now...," she whispered, not finishing her sentence, then began to leave. Before she got far, though, Ryoga heard her sob, and she came back to whisper at his ear.

"Wait...I didn't mean that. I care for you Ryoga, so deeply, more then you can...*ahem*. Just...don't stop writing me, okay? And maybe next time I see you...you won't pull away from me."

And then she was gone.

Ryoga sighed heavily, moving the pieces of plate out of the way so he could lay his head and arms on the safe part of the bar without cutting himself. He had done it. He had finally done it, but he wasn't sure if it was the right thing. Akari was still upset with him. He had never seen her angry like that before. Then again, he hadn't done anything to anger her until recently; he had always been so careful with his penpal.

He was so consumed by his own thoughts that he barely even registered Ukyo approaching him, taking the yen and cleaning up the small mess he had left for her.

* * *

><p>Still bristling, Ukyo quickly tidied up the plate Ryoga had broken. That was two since yesterday, now. It wasn't that she was mad about, though it was annoying. Two things were making her mind prickle at the moment, and neither were broken plates.<p>

First, it had been Ryoga's loud declaration that she was not his girlfriend. It was true of course; she wasn't. But did he really have to say it so loud? She was sure there had been a touch of revulsion in his voice as he said it too.

_But then...he was blushing..._

And then when Ryoga had said he didn't want a relationship anymore, with anyone, she had felt her heart sink in sadness. That was just ridiculous. Why had she been upset at that news? It was obvious that he wouldn't want a relationship with anyone, anymore then she did with the obvious exception of Ranma, but...

_I'm just an idiot. C'mon Kuonji, get your head out of the clouds._

"Hey. P-chan," she said jokingly, moving his elbow to get at a piece of plate that was still under his arm. He let her work passively, like a model letting himself be pushed into the proper pose.

_Ha. He doesn't retract from MY touch...though I didn't try and grab his hand._

"Don't call me that," he moaned irritably, though it was obvious his heart wasn't into it.

"Sorry."

She looked at the restaurant around them. No one was gawking anymore, though the girls had been paying attention while Akari was there. One of them had shot Ryoga daggers with her eyes the moment Akari had started crying. Now she was back to business, looking as though she were searching her pockets for yen.

"I should go, Ukyo. I'm just being a problem here," he said, sitting up straight again. Ukyo found that she was shaking, and controlled herself.

"Go? Go where? Why?"

"Home. Just for a while...I need to get out of this town, and home is just enough out of town. Maybe I'll go somewhere else, too, after that...somewhere...South...," he said, his eyes looking faraway.

"Oh...I see..."

"Can you take me to my pack?"

"Uh, sure. ...Konatsu?" For the last part, she walked over to the other room, feeling her heart start to race. Ryoga was leaving? She didn't have to guide him anymore?

_Who am I gonna talk to when he goes? I don't have any...arg._

"Yes, Ukyo?" said Konatsu, immediately jumping in front of her and looking at her anxiously. Ukyo put on a pleasant smile.

"Watch the cash register for a minute, will ya, sugar? I need to take Ryoga upstairs." She didn't see her waiter's face fall as she walked back up to the bar, and gave the back of Ryoga's shirt a hearty tug.

"Ukyo, you don't have to tug, you know."

"I know."

She walked up the stairs to the private quarters, Ryoga following obediently. When they got to the pack, though, Ryoga didn't pick it up immediately. Instead, he riffled through it, looking for something. Ukyo put her hands on her hips, wondering what he was looking for. Finally he pulled out a piece of paper and, smiling, handed it to Ukyo.

"What's this? Oh, your map...," she said, looking at the ridiculous thing. It had the Tendo House, the school, the Nekohanten...an amused smile came over her face when she saw a small, house-shaped box, beside something that looked like a campfire. Or perhaps a bush, she couldn't really tell. In the house-shaped box, 'Ucchan's Okonomiyaki' was carefully written in black ink.

"Well?" Ryoga said expectantly.

"Well what?"

"I added your restaurant. Does it look right? I had, uhh, someone help me with it, but he didn't seem sure either." Ukyo rolled her eyes, laughing at the question.

"Of course it isn't right! Ryoga, this map is...is..." She stopped when she saw the hurt expression start to creep up on his face, and sighed.

"Look, it's not a bad map. In theory. But it's not going to help you." His hurt expression shifted to irritation.

"Oh yeah? Well then if you're so smart, why don't YOU make me a map?" Ukyo blinked, her face hardening at his words.

"Maybe I will," she said, suddenly grinning and running from the room, "Stay there!"

She ran into her own bedroom, aiming straight for one of her small tables. In the drawer to one side, she kept odds and ends such as maps, travel guides, and generally any sort of brochure that she had picked up from her hometown to Nerima. After digging through for a minute, she pulled out a few maps, then went to another drawer to pull out a pen and paper. Gleefully, she went back to Ryoga to find him standing exactly where she had left him, looking perplexed.

"Ukyo...I didn't mean it, you don't have to..." But she waved him off, suddenly feeling childish at the prospect of the perhaps geeky project.

_And one that'll keep me with someone to talk to for at least a little while longer._

"Oh, shush. Now come on, I want you to watch," she said, tugging him over to a small table. She sat down near it, putting the paper and pen down while Ryoga obediently sat beside her, putting his own map down in the center of the table with a touch of pride. Ukyo clucked her tongue at it, but declined to comment. Uncapping a pen, she pulled a fresh, white sheet of paper directly in front of her, and at the top wrote "Ucchan's Guide To Nerima, for Ryoga Habiki".

"You spelled my name wrong." commented Ryoga, pointing to the name 'Habiki'. Ukyo looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

"I did?"

"It' I. No A. I'm not some crazy mad scientist." Quickly, Ukyo turned the 'A' into the best 'I' that she could, then looked at Ryoga out of the corner of her eye again.

"Crazy mad scientist?"

"Long story."

_...right. Well he IS the type of guy to have long stories..._

"Okay...there, is that better?" she asked, trying to make the dot on the 'I' more obvious.

"Yeah, that's great. Much better."

"Easy mistake to make...," she said distractedly, looking at one of her maps. Carefully, she began to draw roads, but not too many. Only the main ones, or roads that had a specific landmark; she didn't want to confuse Ryoga with too much information, after all. She drew in a few important landmarks, such as which direction Ryoga's house would be, the Nekohanten, Furinkan High, the Tendo house, her own Ucchan's Okonomiyaki, labeling each carefully and clearly. Remembering back to that day she had seen Ryoga just outside the market, she also labeled places where he could find food, as well as a few of the main parks in Nerima.

"I'm going to have to do another one for how you get from the top of this map to your house."

"You don't have to."

"I know that, sugar."

Looking it over carefully, she added a few places, like where water crossed into Nerima, and where two of the more popular bathhouses were. Once done, she looked over at Ryoga, then began going over it with him, using her now capped pen as a pointer.

"Okay. So you live up this way...say you come into town, strolling down this street. The closest place is the Tendo house. Err, but you don't want to go there. Uhh..." Quickly, she forced down a flush, then moved on. "The Nekohanten is here, but we won't be going there for a while, now will we. Hey, here's the school. See how easy it is to get there? Barely any turning. And here's my restaurant, kinda in the middle...these symbols mean houses, these mean parks, and this means water. That symbol means food..." Uncapping her pen again, she drew a small box at the bottom of the map, creating a legend. Beside it, she carefully tried to make a scale, but found it wasn't working.

"Damn, I need a ruler," she said, biting her lip. Ryoga dug into his pack, producing a small wooden one soon after that said Venice on the back, and Ukyo stared at it, wide-eyed.

"When were you in Venice?" she asked, the map forgotten for a moment as she turned the green and gold ruler over in her hands. It was obviously a souvenir, and had winged lions and angels painted on it.

"Well...that's a long story. I think it was about two years ago...," he said, scratching his head. Ukyo shook her head, but smiled, impressed.

_I wonder where else he's been...the poor guy's probably been all over the main continent..._

"But how did you get there? It's near halfway around the world."

"Well, uhh...there was a train involved...and then an airplane...and this guy who kept insisting that he was taking me home. I really shouldn't have trusted him though, he could barely speak Japanese. I think he thought I was saying that I wanted to go to Rome...when I finally got there, I tried to find the plane back, and ended up in Venice."

Ukyo giggled, starting to use the ruler for her scale. Once that was done, she carefully set the souvenir aside for Ryoga to put away.

"Okay...and...tada! Map one done. Study it well, Pig Boy," she said happily, handing him the map.

"Don't call me that."

"Sorry, sorry. You don't let me call you anything," she said in half-complaint, pulling out another sheet of paper to start on the map that would have his house.

"You're welcome to call me Ryoga," he said, looking over his paper at her. Ukyo smiled mischievously, and was about to retort, but then her eyes met Ryoga's. Despite the fact that she had been joking, his face looked suddenly so serious. Under his gaze, her own face became more serious, and she tilted her head.

_Does he really take his name that seriously?..._

"Ryoga..."

"Very good, Ukyo."

Flushing slightly, she went back to her map, focusing on making the legend and scale first this time. In one corner, she also made a sunrose to that he could tell where North, East, South and West lay. Quickly grabbing back the first map, she did it there as well, then handed it back to Ryoga.

"Almost done here, sugar," she said, drawing in streets, and houses, his in particular. She hadn't actually been there, yet. But her real maps helped fill in for that; she had a fairly good idea of where it should be, and just hoped that it was right.

When she was finally done, at the top she wrote 'Ucchan's Guide to Ryoga's House, for Ryoga Hibiki', taking care to write an 'I' the first time, rather then an 'A'. Ryoga looked it over quickly, nodding, though he still wore a frown on his face.

"Well? What do you think?" she asked, her eyes hopeful as she turned to look at him.

"I don't know...I mean it's detailed, and I'm grateful...but I've had maps before. They didn't help."

"Feh. You haven't had Ucchan's custom made maps. Regular street maps don't give you the landmarks you need, and can be out of date." Really, it was her first time making maps for someone else, but Ryoga didn't have to know that.

"Still...," he scratched his head, comparing them to his original map.

"Nervous? We'll just have to test it out then. Come on," she said, standing up.

"Huh? Test it?" he asked, getting up and gathering the papers. He put the maps in a specific pouch in his belt, then fixed his pack to put on his shoulders.

"You heard me. I don't want to send you off with those maps and have 'em not work," she said, watching as he put the pack on.

"So what are we going to do?"

A light gleamed in Ukyo's eyes.

"You're going to get lost - with me, of course, just in case - then find your way back with the maps. Come on, it'll be great!" she said excitedly, walking towards the doorway.

"Wha-what? But your restaurant! Ukyo! You can't just-" But Ukyo's mind was already spinning with the thrill of adventure.

"Oh, hush. Konatsu can watch it for an hour or so. Besides, I'll be with you. It'll be fun!" she said, then stopped at the door, waiting for him to follow her. "And hey, Ryoga?"

"Y-yeah?" he asked, looking a tad put out and walking towards her.

"You're welcome to call me Ucchan."

With that, she set out into the hall, waiting for Ryoga to catch up before heading down the stairs.

_This is just what we need...some real fun. Finally!_

* * *

><p>Konatsu stood at the cash register of the near empty restaurant, eyes still on the door that Ukyo had walked out of not five minutes ago with her friend. Her male friend. One of his eyes twitched nervously under carefully trimmed black bangs.<p>

_It's okay, it's just for an hour, he's not really going to get her lost..._

Ukyo had looked so happy when she had left. And Ryoga...nervous? Curious? Something was up with him, but he hadn't looked as depressed as he had when he had gone upstairs with Ukyo. What had they done upstairs for so long? Just map making? But surely...

_He'll bring her back in one piece, and unharmed, and in time for school tomorrow...he's only going to get her lost for a little while..._

Ukyo's exact words had been 'Ryoga's going to get us lost, and try and find his way back on his own with my maps. I'm going to make sure he doesn't really get lost, so we'll be back soon, okay? Thanks sugar!'

Picking up a small notepad and pen, Konatsu looked at the clock and quickly scribbled down the time. Next to it, he wrote:

_Ukyo's Words: An hour_

_Konatsu's Guess: ...Or two, or three, or four..._

Licking his lips, he put the notepad into his pocket, then looked up at the door again. He had a feeling that it was going to be yet another long night.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure this is alright Uky...err...Ucchan?" asked Ryoga, looking over at the slightly shorter figure that jogged quickly beside him. Her face showed a pleasant expression, and her eyes still had that excited gleam to them that had appeared when she had first suggested the idea. They were jogging on a sidewalk, maybe ten minutes away from her restaurant. This time, though, Ryoga was the guide.<p>

"Oh, don't worry about it, sugar. It's fine, I have an excellent sense of direction," she boasted, waving him off.

"Okay...but don't yell at me if something goes wrong..." With that, he turned down another corner, then took the two of them up a scenic side street.

He couldn't help but absorb some of Ukyo's giddiness, though. He suspected that after all the stress she had been through lately, this was just another way for her to let it out. Which, fortunately, involved less tears and confusing clinging. He had been especially surprised when she had said he could call her by her nickname; not many had that privilege, as far as he knew.

_Maybe she...nah, it's Ukyo. She's just a friend...isn't she? She IS pretty cute though..._

"Do you have any idea where we are?" she asked, and he noted that her eyes looked a touch worried. They were still in Nerima though, he was fairly certain. They had never left behind the buildings, and the houses, and some of it looked...sort of familiar.

"Nope." Ukyo nodded expectantly and kept following him, looking at her watch.

"Good. We're still in Nerima anyway...I think..." Suddenly, Ryoga's positive mood fluxuated, and lowered.

"You mean you don't know?"

"No no, I didn't say that sugar...I just don't know this neighbourhood. But it wouldn't take me long to get back on track. Really."

"If you say so."

_Still nice of her to make sure I can use the maps...but dammit, mine wasn't that bad. Was it? It got me where I was going...eventually..._

It was still warm out, and the sun shone brightly through thin, wispy clouds. On the streets a few people were walking and cycling, enjoying the early evening weather. It felt familiar, running like that. He had done it so much, for so many years. With no idea where he was going to end up, though a goal in mind. It was odd to run around without panicking. Being the leader, but still not caring where he'd end up. By contrast, he was trying to get lost. He found it refreshingly easy, especially with the thought that Ukyo could - hopefully - get them back if he had trouble.

"Hey, it's time now, stop," said Ukyo, tugging his sleeve as she stopped herself. Ryoga shot her a look for the tug, but she just smiled sweetly and released him.

"Look around. Any idea where we are?"

Forgetting his brief annoyance, Ryoga did look around him. Around them. Below was the sidewalk, beside a street. On the other side of the sidewalk was a small, white stone wall, with tree branches hanging over it. Houses lined up beyond the wall, and was mirrored on the other side of the street.

"Japan still? Right?" he asked, and earned himself a wry look.

"We'd better be. We were only jogging for fifteen minutes. Now c'mon, take out the maps." Quickly, Ryoga retrieved the maps from his pouch, looking at them quickly.

_I don't even know where we ARE on this thing..._

"Now, the first step is to figure out where the heck we are. How do you propose we do that?" she asked, her tone sounding like that of a teacher.

"Stop the nearest pedestrian?"

"Could work. But there's a quicker way. It's called street signs, Ryoga. We need to get to an intersection...unless you see a landmark on there?" she asked, looking around her then at the map again.

"Nah, I doubt it...intersection it is..."

About seven minutes and three intersections later, they had located a street name that was on the map. He had felt a small relief at their accomplishment, but then another thought came into his head.

_Where are we on the street?_

"See, this is why maps like this just aren't useful...how are we supposed to know where we are?" he asked, comparing the map to the area they were in. Still a residential area. He noted that the Nekohanten was supposed to be on this street, but that was near the upper part of the map. He had no idea if they were north, or south.

"That's easy. We just walk either up or down the street until we find an intersecting street that's on there. How many cross?" Her confidence was unwavering enough to make him shake out the cobwebs of worry, and look at the map once more.

"Uhh..."

"You didn't lose where we were, did you?"

"No, no...let's see...five intersect...so..."

"Great, that's enough. Not this one though, right?"

"Huh? No..." Hoping she didn't notice, he did double check and let out a breath of air when he saw that he was actually right.

"Right, let's go this way," he said, running off. But he didn't get three paces before Ukyo grabbed him by the back of his shirt. Immediately, he turned around, giving her a questioning look.

"What?"

"You're turning off the street! We're supposed to go this way," she said, pointing to the right of where he had been going.

"Uh...of course," he said, scratching his head sheepishly. Then they were off again.

Ten minutes later, they had finally arrived at the Nekohanten, after realizing that they had been going the wrong way and doubling back. Ukyo was beaming now, standing with her hands on her hips and looking impressed with Ryoga.

_Or maybe she's just trying to be encouraging._

"Okay, I know exactly where we are. From here, at a jog, I could get back home in less then fifteen minutes. Can you do it?"

"Maybe...I'll try...," he said, his eyes wandering over to the Nekohanten. Suddenly he remembered the news Ukyo had told him, about Akane. He wondered if she was alright, if she had been unconscious for long. As though sensing his thoughts, Ukyo followed his gaze as well, and frowned.

"It's closed," she said.

"Yeah..." Feelings of worry washed over him.

"Hey, what's wrong? You're not thinking about...?" she let the question die on her lips.

"I just...want to know if she's alright," he said, still staring at the restaurant.

"Ranma's with her. I'm sure she's fine. I'll find out all I can from school, and let you know, okay sugar?" she replied, sounding suddenly far away. Nodding, Ryoga tore his eyes away from the closed restaurant, and looked at Ukyo. Really looked at her. Despite the happiness and excitement she seemed to be showing, he had a feeling that was all just a cover. That underneath it all, she was still thinking about Ranma, and worrying about him. Slowly, she noticed his eyes on her, and lowered her gaze.

"We should...," He began.

"Yeah. Let's go, come on."

"R-right...umm, south at the next intersection?"

"That's east, Ryoga."

"East," he agreed.

Another thirty minutes of jogging, and crossing streets, and an unexpected jaunt through the park later, he felt Ukyo's urgent tugging once more. Coming to a complete stop, he turned to look at her, wondering immediately where he had went wrong.

_I turned properly back there...I know I did, she would have said something if I didn't..._

"What?" he asked defensively. But Ukyo had an odd grin on her face; both knowing, and sad. It made him flush, and he felt like he was suddenly put on the spot.

"U-Ucchan?"

"You have no idea where we are, do you?" she asked, and watched as she pointed up to a sign. As he turned to look at it, he noticed a familiar scent in the air.

_Almost like...Okonomi...we're here! Ugh, and I was going to just run right by..._

Embarrassed, he punched a nearby wall, though luckily not one belonging to Ukyo. The papers crinkled lightly in his other hand, but he was careful not to ruin them.

"It's okay! We made it. And not too long, either," she said, her eyes moving from the door and back to him.

"Right, right," he said, fighting the embarrassment.

"So uhh...you're not coming in, are you?" Ryoga saw an oddly hopeful look in her eye, and found himself wanting to say yes. Confused, he shook his head, watching as it made Ukyo frown sadly.

"What's wrong? You knew I was going home...that's why you made the maps for me, right?" he asked, and watched as Ukyo shuffled her feet.

"Well yeah..." Her voice was so soft that Ryoga felt his heart start to beat faster.

"And you don't want me to?"

_I was sure she'd be sick of leading me around by now...she's always cranky, and tugging me, and calling me names..._

"I don't know, really," she said, looking away. An odd, tingly feeling surged up in Ryoga, and he didn't notice that he was now poking holes in the wall.

"You don't? But I...it'll only be for a little while. I'll come back," he said, and she looked back up at him, her eyes sparkling. And mesmerizing.

"You'd better. And if you don't, write, okay? I uh...don't want to have to worry about whether or not you can manage to get anywhere on your own," she covered, looking back at the door quickly. Getting mad, Ryoga hardened his face, but the tingling feeling remained.

"I can manage just fine!" But Ukyo nodded, not noticing the slightly harsh tone to his voice.

"I know..." Her voice was so sad again that he tilted his head, trying to look into her eyes.

"Ucchan..."

Before he could react, she jumped up at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him in a tight hug. Nervously, he just stood there, numb from the surprise of it. Her warm body was pressed against him, and her cheek against his shoulder. She was holding him as though to keep him in place, shivering as though she were holding back tears.

"What's wrong?" he asked, finally making himself hold her as well.

"I just realized something, Ryoga." He gulped uncertainly, his mind racing.

"What is it?"

"You're my friend. And I...I don't want you to go away." The words hit him so hard that at first he didn't even realize what she was saying. Slowly, they registered, and he felt his hands shake.

"I am?"

"You are. I...I hate to admit it, but I get lonely...and these past few days, with you...it's been nice. Really nice. I'm just...worried it's never going to happen again. That you'll go off, to maybe Hong Kong, or Tibet, or heck, even London, and I'll just be sitting here, bored and tired and lonely, and..." With a sinking feeling he realized that she was crying, and panicked.

"No no, I'm not going to leave you behind...don't cry...please, Ucchan, don't..." he said, holding her tightly, panicking at the thought of not knowing what to do about her tears. Again.

"Then you'll come back? Go home, because you want to, but...you'll come back? And take me somewhere far away from here? Promise?" she asked, her voice sounding oddly hollow and childish.

_She wants me to take her somewhere? I can't believe it! But where would we...and her restaurant...but she wants it. She wants me to promise..._

Nervously, Ryoga took hold of Ukyo's shoulders and gently pushed her away enough so that he could look into her eyes. They shone with tears, and her face, normally so together, was crinkled into an expression of uncertainty.

"Ucchan...I..."

"Well?"

"I...I promise. I'll come back. I won't go anywhere far away without you," he said, finally managing to get it out. A slow smile crept up Ukyo's face, but not on his. He was too scared and confused to do anything but look at her blankly, eyes wide.

"Hurry up and get home then, so you can come back," she said, tugging on his shirt again as though she had to do it just one more time before he left. The sudden anger that came was so surprising with the other emotions that Ryoga did finally smile, and nod.

"R-right. I'll be back, I promise."

"Good. Goodnight, sugar," she said, giving him one last look before heading back to the door. Ryoga gulped, watching her as she opened it and began to walk in.

"Goodnight...Ucchan," he said, watching her as she waved and closed it firmly. The wall beside her restaurant received another half dozen small, finger sized holes before he finally pulled himself away from the wall, and began to walk away. Unfortunately, he was far from the restaurant before he remembered to use her maps.


	18. My Mind

**Chapter Five: My Mind**

The sound of the school bell signaling the freedom of the students was still ringing loudly in Ranma's ear, even as he was already out the gate and halfway down the block. He had no doubt gotten a few looks, for jumping out the second floor window and then for running like a man possessed through the sea of students. But he didn't care; if anything, he was used to the attention. People tended to think him hasty and brash, for some reason, and interesting. He ignored a small tear that he had received in his blue shirt on the jump down, and kept running.

Although he had missed school the day before, he had decided to go today. Only after Dr. Tofu promised that he was not going anywhere while Ranma was at class, and after learning that Mr. Tendo would be there for a while as well. That hadn't made sitting in a classroom all that easier, though. He had been stared at, and questioned about Akane, and prodded about why he hadn't been in school yesterday. All he would say was that Akane was sick; no one could get out anything more. He would just give the cold shoulder to anyone who pestered him, and soon the direct questions became less. That didn't stop the stares, or concerned whispers, though. He wondered if anything could stop whispering students.

Only to the teachers did he tell the truth, and barely; he said that Akane had been hurt, and was temporarily comatose. They had been concerned, but gracious; already in his schoolbag Ranma had started collecting notes for Akane to use when she came to. Provided she came around soon enough for them to be of use.

Sailing in through the front door, Ranma barely noticed the handful of people that sat in the waiting room, reading newspapers and old magazines and looking at the clock. He went straight to Akane's room, feeling oddly more anxious the closer he got. When he finally opened the door and entered, his heart was racing and his eyes immediately sought her out. She lay still, in the bed, unchanging from the last time he had seen her. Nothing had happened; she was safe

Still in a coma, it seemed, but safe.

"Yo. Akane...and Doc," he said, noticing that the doctor was sitting at the counter nearby. Ranma only had eyes for him for a second as he walked over to Akane, dropping his schoolbag on his chair. She lay motionless, in slumber still, the sheet up to her waist just like it had been earlier. An I.V. was still attached to her arm, and it looked like it had been changed around. Noticing that the toes of one of her small feet was poking out, he fixed it quickly to cover her, then stood over by her shoulder.

"How is she?" he asked, still looking at Akane. He felt relief at seeing her again, despite her condition. Worry had made him restless all day, and bored; he had been in the room for lunch too, but even then he couldn't stay long.

He heard the doctor get up, and walk over to the other side of the bed.

"She's fine, no change. Well except for one small thing. It seems her body is more in tune with her mind...earlier, when I was checking her ki, her eye twitched. It's a common thing...sometimes a patient will kick, or hold a hand tighter, or even turn around in the bed. As though dreaming, and acting out the dream." Ranma watched her, wide-eyed, taking in the information.

_Dreaming...I wonder if she's in a dream now...can she think like this?_

"And it means she's closer to waking up, right?" asked Ranma, looking up at the doctor this time. He frowned, shaking his head.

"Not necessarily. I don't think she'll be in the coma for long, though, Ranma. I'm glad you're back actually, I need your help for some tests." Shuffling his feet, Ranma tilted his head in curiosity.

"Tests?"

"Tests. I'm certain her aura is in there alright, but I want to see how it reacts. I thought of doing it myself, but I can't easily observe that way, and none of my nurses are capable of a battle aura."

"Whoa, wait. So ya want me to just bring up my battle aura near her?"

"Something like that. Are you ready now?" Ranma stood straight, nodding.

"If it helps Akane, definitely."

"Good. Now first, we need to establish physical contact. Hold her hand in both of yours." The words 'what? I can't do that,' were on Ranma's tongue, but he let them die, along with a flush that wanted to creep up.

_This is nothing...it's not romantic, it's just a test..._

Quickly, he picked up Akane's hand, feeling it in between the two of his. He had to admit, it felt good, though strange. Slowly, he allowed a look at Akane's closed eyelids, then moved his eyes back to the doctor.

"Now bring up the aura. Tell me what you feel." Ranma obeyed, though could almost see Akane smirking at him, even though she wasn't. Articulating his feelings was something Ranma was definitely not good at.

He brought up the aura easily, letting it come up slowly. Turquoise and blue flashed around him, with hints of orange that bubbled and flew, as though sparks of flame. He kept it low, looking at their hands as he did.

Then, he felt it. Akane's aura. It surprised him somehow, and his aura wavered, then strengthened.

"I can feel her...she sensed me...she sensed me!" he said, barely hearing his own excited voice.

"How strong is it?"

"Not very...but it's there. Warm, and blurry, and...confused," said Ranma. "Like she sensed her attacker, but doesn't know who or where to look."

Ranma realized he was holding her hand tighter now, and loosened his grip. Hope welled up in him like a spring; despite the doctor's words, he wanted to hope that this meant something good. That she was there, and waking up soon, and...

But then her aura faded. He saw thin wisps of green and pink break off from her and slowly thin, until her aura was gone. Saddened, Ranma intensified his own, but she didn't come back. After a moment, he felt his shoulders slump, and his aura receded.

"She's gone now. I can't feel her anymore," he said, his voice heavy again. But the doctor just nodded, writing something down on a clipboard.

"Thank you, Ranma. And don't worry...that's natural. Maybe you were able to take her out of the dream for a minute, and then the dream took her back. It happens."

"Hey, if I take her outta the dream long enough...will she stay?" asked Ranma, looking up at the doctor as he put the clipboard back down on the cabinet.

"I really don't know. It...depends." Nodding, Ranma put his left hand back at his side, but still held her hand with his right. The lingering feelings of her aura remained, and he didn't want to let go. Not just yet.

Soon after, he heard the doctor leave the room, and he relaxed his posture. Blinking, he looked at Akane's face, squeezing her hand as though hoping for a reaction. None came, but...

_He said she might react...maybe if I can get her to...she'll come back..._

"People missed ya in school today. Everyone was askin', and starrin', and being annoyin'. I told 'em you were hurt...," he confessed, feeling his voice come out soft and harsh at the same time.

"I got notes from the teachers though. Hey, if you hurry, you can catch up. I'll catch up too. It shouldn't be hard, we're just going over old material. I don't think we even did anything new, today."

It was still weird, talking to Akane like that. It felt as though he were talking to himself, or talking to some sort of diary or journal. She was just so calm, and rigid, like she was actually listening. But with her eyes closed, and no encouraging body language. Ranma sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"And I STILL don't know what to do about Shampoo. I, umm, did do some thinkin' on it though..."

"If we're...well...ya know...married...would she do anything, ya think? Cause then it'd be harder...me being married already and all. I wonder if that stupid Amazon rule even applies to married men..." Akane merely radiated serenity, and Ranma sighed again, trying to clear his head.

"Enough talk. Let's just try this again. Ya ready?"

Holding her hand tightly with both hands now, he slowly brought up his battle aura, careful to keep it low and non-threatening. Beads of sweat began to form on his face; he was putting more effort into it this time.

As though hesitantly, he felt more then he saw wisps of green and red form around Akane. Gentle, nervous wisps, strong and confused. It felt...nice. Like she was really there, before him, and if he just closed his eyes, he could pretend. Pretend that there was no Gosunkugi, no curse, no coma, no Shampoo coming back to claim him. A slow smile crept up his face at the thought, but it didn't touch his hard, sapphire eyes.

And then, without really trying to, Ranma found that he was closing his eyes and fading into the nothingness. Blackness enveloped him, but it was tinged with green and red. And then, from a distance...he thought he heard a voice...

* * *

><p><em>Something is wrong.<em> Akane...felt, a shiver go through her mind. It seized, and spasmed, and made her feel dizzy. Was she feeling? The being had told her she couldn't. She hadn't felt anything ever since she was knocked out, why should she be starting now?

"You can feel it?" The voice was very surprised, despite that it usually seemed to know what was going on with Akane.

_Please...what's going on out there? Something's happening, isn't it?_

"The doctor had Ranma do a test...you sensed that, right? Your aura came up," it explained. It was wavering though...sounding more and more like Akane's own tone, rather then just her voice in her head.

_A test? What does it mean? What did he do?_

"He held your hand, and brought up his battle aura. It brought yours up too...it made him...hopeful."

_Falsely hopeful?_

"I don't know. But he's trying it again. This time though..."

_What? What is it? Just come out and say it!_

"He went into the nothingness. Like Cologne taught him...he's in there now, with his aura raised, and yours, and now they're...stuck?"

_Stuck?_

"He won't push his back down. And yours...can't go down. He's..."

_He's what? Tell me!_

"I think he's...trying to keep you there. The doctor...he said that, maybe, if he can keep your aura up long enough you'll just come out. But I don't think he knew going into the nothingness would do that. It just...happened."

_...is he going to be alright? And me? Can our auras just stay up like that?_

"I...don't know."

Akane was worried. This didn't sound right at all...Ranma was going to lose all his stamina, and even the voice didn't seem to know the outcome of it. It didn't know a lot of things, lately.

_That idiot! He's going to hurt himself, isn't he? What does he think he's doing?_

"Now calm down Akane. That idiot is trying to save you."

_Like hell I'll calm down. Can't you get him to stop? What if he hurts himself?_

"I don't know if he will. I can't get him to stop. I can't...oh..."

_What? What?_

"It feels..."

_...you can feel?..._

"Like I'm...fading..."

_Fading? No! No don't go away! Please, no..._

"He's falling...just...Akane...you..."

_Wait no! No!_

"I'm not going anywhere...silly...heh...I'm you."

And then light rushed back into the room. Pain and sensations surrounded her; her head throbbed, her legs tingled, her forehead perspired with a cold sweat. Breath rushed in and out of her lungs, and her heart beat as though trying to rush itself out of her chest.

Her silver eyes popped open as she felt a sensation at her hand. Skin, falling away, the touch fading. Ranma?

_Ranma?_

"Ranma!" Dizziness overtook her as she sat straight up, noticing blearily where she was. Dr. Tofu's. The overnight patient's room.

_Where is...oh, my head...unnh..._

Spots of red and orange floated before her eyes as memory flooded back to her. The curses, Gosunkugi, the vague notion that Ranma had his aura back. Then the feeling of intense pressure as her battle aura was shoved back into her body, like slamming against the wall.

_Oh god...the voice...I...Ranma!_

She quickly tore the I.V needle out of her arm, not paying attention to the blood that spilled on her dress or the pain that came as a result. Ranma had been holding onto her hand, she was sure of it. And the feeling of something slipping away...

She looked over the side of the bed, and was both relieved and horrified to see Ranma there in a crumpled heap, eyes closed and limbs sprawled. His green shirt hung off of him limply, and one of his black slippers looked like it was almost off. Despite the pain and dizziness, she forced herself up, carefully going to his side on the floor.

"Oh no...Ranma, Ranma you idiot! What did you do? What happened? You..."

_The voice...the voice, it said Ranma was trying something...idiot! Why did he...?_

Her hands were on his shoulders, on his head, on his chest, moving him to a straighter position, trying to wake him up. Frantically, she barely heard her own reminder to be careful, that he may have broken a bone on the fall.

_What should I do...What should I...?_

"Dr. Tofu! Dr. Tofu, come quick! It's Ranma!" she yelled, sitting down completely now as another wave of dizziness came over her. She felt so weak; her limbs and muscles ached at the effort it had taken to get to the floor.

The door to the room burst open, and a very confused and alarmed Dr. Tofu immediately looked at the bed.

"Doctor!" When he looked down at her, and Ranma, he looked like he was either going to be sick, or accuse himself of hallucinations.

"Wha...? Akane! What in the...but you were...what happened?" he said, dropping a book that he had in his hands and kneeling down beside Akane. Panic was still rising in her in waves; she struggled to keep herself calm, and stop worrying, but her head was still rushing.

"I...he...I woke up, and he was there, on the ground. He...tried to do something, to pull me out." she said, fighting to explain to him how her own voice had told her what Ranma was doing.

_Wait...my own voice...my own...that wasn't...that thing wasn't another being at all! That was..._

Her eyes went so wide at the sudden realization that they actually moved away from Ranma, and her gaze fixed itself on the white wall above the bed.

_It even said...it was me...I was the voice...but..._

"Akane," she heard Dr. Tofu say. Shaking her head, she turned to him, and noted the worried look on his face.

"I know Ranma is hurt, and you're worried, and you just got back, but...I just want you to lay down, right now. Okay? Get back in the bed, and let me work." She tilted her head, then nodded, understanding.

"R-right. Yes." But first she took another good, long look at Ranma's face before climbing over him, and laying down on the bed. She adjusted her pillow though, so she could still see the two of them, and lay on her side, her eyes worried and firm.

_Ranma...you idiot...why did you have to..._

"He just wore out his own aura...I shouldn't have showed him that trick...I should have known, with his stubbornness..." Dr. Tofu trailed off, and Akane watched as he pressed the vital ki points, getting his aura flowing again. His chest rose in a gasp, and Ranma began to cough. Without even noticing that she had moved, Akane found that she turned to her back again and was now sitting up, watching Ranma intensely.

"Ugh...oh...man, that was...," Ranma said slowly, sitting up. Akane watched excitedly as he rubbed his head, groaning.

"Ranma! Ranma are you alright? You idiot! You'd better be okay, or I'll..." Her fiance's eyes immediately shot up to her own, and she saw such a look of surprise and relief there that she was silenced.

"Are you alright Ranma? Can you stand?" asked Dr. Tofu, standing up himself. The two ignored him completely as Ranma slowly stood, his eyes still locked with Akane's.

_He's alright! At least...I think he is...oh, Ranma..._

Akane's heart fluttered as she watched him stand, watched his hands shake as he looked at her.

"Okay, right, I should have known. I'll be in the hallway, shout for me when you're over the shock, okay? And no sudden movements...either of you." After a few seconds, Akane thought she heard a door close, but she wasn't sure.

"Ranma..." Then she firmed her face, remembering what he had done. "Why did you do that? You could have been hurt!" Ranma winced, then shook his head, breaking the spell of their eyes.

"I...well...Dr. Tofu said it might...help..."

"Did he say for you to go into the nothingness too?" she asked, fairly certain that he had not.

"No...but I didn't plan for that! Stupid. I was just trying to get you out! I was...worried," he said, his voice small near the end. Akane sighed, feeling relief wash over her.

"Ranma...," she said, pushing the anger out.

"What?" he asked, sounding like he was expecting another lecture. Carefully, Akane swung her legs over the side of the bed, grabbing a hold of Ranma's hand to help her balance. The dizzy spells were still there, but she could cope. She had her real strength back now; her martial artist's strength. Slowly she stood, feeling muscles complain loudly, and looked up into his eyes.

"Thank you."

Then she hugged him fiercely, feeling tears of happiness fall down her cheeks as she relished the feel of his warm, comforting body.

"A-Akane..."

"Shh...just for a little while...please...," she coaxed, not planning on letting him go anytime soon.

Then slowly, nervously, she felt Ranma's arms raise around her back and hold her as well. She sighed softly at the feeling, and pressed her cheek harder against his shoulder.

_Ranma...thank you...thank you..._

Neither noticed the face of the doctor in the window of the door, watching them, and chuckling to himself as though he had seen something very funny.

* * *

><p>Ranma woke up with a start to find that he was laying on the cold, hard floor of the hospital room. His entire left side hurt as though he had fallen hard, and his head throbbed dizzily. Groaning, he slowly brought his hand up to his forehead, sitting up slowly.<p>

"What the heck?...why am I.." He blinked, looking down at himself as he sat on the floor. He felt alright, though his head was swimming with blackness, wisps of green and red teasing him from the corner of his eye. Green and red, like Christmas almost. But it wasn't Christmas...it was...

"Akane!" Memory rushed to him, as he stood up, expecting to see Akane awake and on the bed.

_But how did I get on the floor? She didn't hit me did she? She wouldn't..._

The smile that he hadn't noticed on his face faltered, then disappeared as he saw Akane laying on the bed, still out. The hand he had been holding was hanging off the bed limply, and her body had shifted as though he had accidently pulled her during the fall. Feeling panic rise within him, he put her arm back on the bed, and began shifting her shoulders, stroking her hair, tugging her arm, trying to get her back awake.

"No! No, Akane, you were awake! You were, come back! No no no no..." He didn't feel the tears come to his eyes as he madly continued to shake her, calling her name, panting as he tried to revive her. But Akane was still as gone to him as she had been earlier. Slowly, depressingly, reality set on him; the real reality. Akane hadn't been really there. It had been a dream, a hallucination.

"Akane! Dammit...you were...you were..." Letting out a gasp of air, he leaned forward and, in a possessive display of affection, grabbed her in a tight hug and shakily held her.

"I thought you were...back...," he whispered. Akane breathed silently in his arms, and he sighed, feeling the sadness and frustration set in again. He had failed. Dr. Tofu had given him a task, a possibility, and it had failed, and now he was back again to square one. Wincing, he sniffed, rubbing the tears from his eyes furiously.

"No...I was so...close...," he moaned, letting her go and standing up straight again. The tears had stopped now, but he still shook, hard. That had been even worse then the dream he had the other day; at least there, he could stay in the sadness. But here...he had been happy. He had felt relief. Then it was taken from him, ripped from his mind as though it hadn't even been there.

"Akane...I won't fail you again. I'm getting you back. Dammit, Akane!"

He didn't notice the face of the doctor in the window of the door, watching them, and frowning to himself as though he had seen something very upsetting.

* * *

><p><em>What...the...hell...was...that?<em> Akane roared in her own mind, sensations leaving her. It seemed as though she had been hit, or become suddenly dizzy. One moment, Ranma had been there. She had held him, tightly, and felt him hold her too. Hold her securely...comfortingly...

_Well? Where are you? Answer me! What was that! _The voice didn't answer her, though. She didn't know if it was too scared of her rage, or didn't know, or just didn't care.

_I was back! I was out there, with Ranma, and we were fine! I was holding him, and he...and he..._

_Why did you do that? You said you were fading! Answer me, damn you!_

"...I was..."

_You were what? Speak up! _She was relieved that it was actually there; for a moment, she was scared that she really was alone this time. No more Ranma, no more voice, just her, slowly descending into madness.

"I was fading...into you."

_...You were...what?_

"I am you, Akane. You figured it out, while you and Ranma were stuck in the nothingness."

_The nothingness? That's where we were?_

"Yes...it caused you both to hallucinate...I think it was the same, but I...don't know..." The voice sounded so sad now; her own voice, and it was near crying. It stilled her anger, but she was still confused, and hurt. Deeply hurt.

_But you're back..._

"Yes...I'm back..."

_Where's Ranma? Is he okay?_

"Ranma...he's..."

_Is he okay?_

"...He's holding you...me...and he's...Akane he's crying!"

_..._

"And he's wondering what went wrong, and yelling for us to come back, and he's completely losing it!"

_Ranma is...crying...oh no...no no...Ranma..._ She felt her entire being shudder as she longed to touch him, to comfort him. Ranma never cried. Never, ever, cried...

"He needs us...he thought he could solve it...but he failed...

_No...no no no..._

"He tried...so hard..."

_And there's absolutely...nothing...you can do?_

"I...don't know anymore..."

_I...I see...oh, Ranma...you...you..._

And then the wave of blackness slowly, carefully, began to consume her very thoughts.


	19. Walking Through Old Feelings

**Part 5: A Warrior's Spirit**

**Chapter One: Walking Through Old Feelings**

Dr. Tofu Ono sighed as he once again headed to one of the three overnight private rooms that he had reserved for his patients. The air was chill enough to make him pull his labcoat more tightly around him, despite that it was a hot June day outside. Inside of his practice, it had been nothing but cold for days. He really had to have someone come look at the air conditioner, but he just hadn't had the time lately.

Despite his want to help, as a doctor and somewhat of a mentor to his patient, Dr. Tofu didn't want to see Akane Tendo right then. He knew that Ranma would be in there, sullenly studying, eyeing his comatose fiancee distractedly every few minutes. He knew also that Akane was still there, breathing and showing every sign of life but the most important one; actually living it out, interacting. It puzzled him to no end why she was still comatose; she shouldn't be. In all of his research and conversations with colleagues, everything he could find told him that she should be easily brought out by now. Yet try as they might, it just wasn't working.

It was almost a week, since Ranma had idiotically tried to bring her out with the nothingness. He knew that it hadn't been his intention, though; Ranma had been distressed, and slipped into the Chinese technique without another thought. Mostly, Dr. Tofu blamed himself for showing Ranma the trick of the auras without cautioning him.

Then again, he hadn't counted on him recently learning a new technique that helped him deal with emotional pain. Ranma was always one to try out new techniques as often as he could, to master them. Even if it was unintentional. And though he had not told Ranma, just in case, his accidental experiment had helped the doctor. He thought there might be a possibility of a way to bring her out, but he was hesitant to use it. It involved further testing and precautions and, most importantly, Ranma willing to possibly sacrifice his mental well-being. Knowing Ranma would say yes to it, despite the possible consequences, made it even harder for the doctor to bring it up.

Forcing a pleasant smile on his face, the doctor knocked respectfully on the door that Akane was behind, counted to two, then pushed it open slowly. That he did for Ranma's sake; he knew the boy liked to at least show an unconcerned, together surface, and sometimes it could take even the firmest of men and women a few moments to sum that up, in emotional times like this.

"Hello Ranma. Akane." He walked to the side of the bed after putting down the folder he had been holding. Ranma, as usual, was pretending to study notes from school, but the position he was sitting in looked rather uncomfortable. He suspected that the boy had been standing when he had walked in, and sat down as soon as he heard the knock.

"Hey," said Ranma, his voice casual.

"How is Akane? Any change?" Dr. Tofu asked conversationally, briefly touching Akane's forehead then examining her ki. It was flowing properly as usual; nothing barred it's way, and if she did dream, they were fairly peaceful dreams. Or at least, boring ones.

"You tell me, you're the doctor." Looking irritated, Ranma turned to another page in his notes, pointedly not looking up.

_No change then...well, it's not like I expected anything..._

"What about you, Ranma? You haven't been sitting there since my last check, have you? That was two hours ago."

But he didn't really need the boy to speak, to get his answer. His entire ki spoke of lethargy and discomfort. For a body such as his to go from very active, to barely active, it was nearly a shock to the system.

"what's it to you? Just take care of Akane, don't worry 'bout me." Hard, sapphire eyes pierced right through him now, and the doctor found himself nodding, turning back to Akane. The sadness he saw in Ranma's eyes was just beyond anything he was used to seeing on a daily basis; he knew the boy was frustrated, but it only frustrated him further to see Ranma not doing anything about it.

_If he could only see what his ki looks like right now..._

"You sound primed for a test, at least. Your aura is practically yelling at you...," said the doctor, watching as Ranma suspiciously put down his notes and jumped up to his feet.

"Another one? Bringing out her aura?" He stood up, looking down at the blue-haired girl anxiously. He didn't even have to be asked to take her hand, anymore. He picked it up willingly, comfortably, and stroked the back of her hand with his thumb.

"Hey, Akane."

It was something he had put himself in the habit of doing; always greeting her, always talking to her. When he was in less irritable moods, Ranma would even mock things that Dr. Tofu said, telling Akane as though letting her in on a joke. As though he wanted her to share a conspiratorial laugh with him over the silly doctor who talked too much.

Frowning slightly, Dr. Tofu nodded, then realized Ranma wasn't looking at him.

"Yes, if you would. I'm ready when you are."

"No problem, Doc."

Eyes on their hands, he watched as Ranma's battle aura came up slowly, carefully; he was getting better at that. It was a shame that it wasn't really useful for anything, except maybe controlling his temper. And this one situation. Sparks of blue were coming off of him, with orange wisps and a purplish haze; Ranma's emotions were confused right now. He could sense it as he watched, and quickly leaned back to get a pen and piece of paper to write things down. Looking at his watch, he readied himself to write down the time as soon as Akane's aura was brought out.

Within seconds, another aura began to flirt with Ranma's; sparking up, then pushing away. Flaring over his, then reducing itself to a small flame. Ranma's aura chased it, as though to trap it, then ran from it if it got too strong. Dr. Tofu tried not to let himself feel anything, sad or hopeful, at the oddly peaceful look that was now on Ranma's face. It would no doubt fall later, with Akane's own aura. It fell harder each time he did the test, but still Ranma did them without question.

_This is the closest he can get to her...I wonder if he relishes these moments, or just does them because he knows it might help._

"C'mon, ya tomboy...you can do better then that..."

Dr. Tofu could hear overtones of affection in the words. He was goading her, encouraging her to stay with them. He didn't have the heart to tell Ranma that she probably couldn't hear him. Really, he wasn't sure of that himself. It was possible, just not likely.

Akane's aura did rise, though it could have been the normal fluctuation that tended to occur when the two met like this. Or perhaps Ranma's mood was felt through the aura, and Akane responded subconsciously. Finding himself oddly fascinated, the doctor was able to ignore the sadness for a moment, and watched as the two interacted. It was brighter each time, the dance of the auras. Brighter, and more hopeful.

Slowly, the dance did end, and Akane's aura faded away. Instinctively, Ranma brought his up further, encouraging hers. But once it started to fade like that...it didn't come back. Noting down the time, Dr. Tofu watched as it fizzled and faded away. Ranma's did as well, and he let out a long breath of air, his eyes on Akane's face.

"G-good...," Ranma said softly, trying to keep his composure as he always did. Dr. Tofu frowned, then put the piece of paper back on the counter once he was done taking notes. Slowly, he stepped across from Ranma, on the other side of Akane, and tried to turn his head to meet Ranma's eyes.

_Maybe he could do it...but...it's such a risk..._

"Well Doc...anything different?" asked Ranma, allowing him to meet his eyes. They shone, but held firm.

_He's stronger now..._

"You were able to keep her out for about four seconds longer then usual; I'd say this is an improvement," he said, grinning encouragingly at Ranma. But the boy just turned his eyes back to Akane and gently squeezed her hand.

"Four more seconds, 'Kane." The doctor watched calmly, nodding.

_Maybe..._

"Yo, Doc...these tests...will they lead to anything? Does it really mean anything if they last longer? Or if they're more intense? You keep those notes pretty religiously."

"Well...they could lead to something, but I have to see." Ranma shrugged, as though expecting the vague answer. Immediately Dr. Tofu felt the urge to comfort and encourage him, but he didn't know what with.

_Unless...but...he'd say yes, no question. What if he can't handle it? What if..._

"Ranma." He didn't realize his voice had come out so seriously until he saw Ranma's face look up at him, as though on command. Trying to sort the words out in his head, he examined the boy's face, and watched his strong ki radiate off of him.

"Yeah?"

"There might be...something...but it's a great risk. I don't know if it will get her out. And it might be hard on you emo-"

"I'll do it!" interrupted Ranma, before letting the doctor even finish. His eyes sparkled with sudden resolve, and his posture was straighter. Dr. Tofu didn't know whether to laugh or cry at his willingness to help without knowing the risk.

"Are you sure? Because if it ends up not working...it would be your turn to suffer the consequences as well," he said, watching as the light in Ranma's eyes only faded slightly.

"As long as it doesn't kill me or put me in a coma too, I'm game." His eyes wandering back to Akane's face again. The doctor wondered if he even noticed that he was doing that, anymore. Always looking, and watching, as though expecting her eyes to suddenly pop open.

"It might just do either of those," he said, and watched the colour drain from Ranma's face.

_Maybe he's not really up to this...maybe I shouldn't have said anything...but..._

"Just tell me what it is."

* * *

><p>Ranma's eyes were practically boring holes through the doctor's skull, he was watching him so intently. There was a cure. A possibility. He could finally do something! His muscles begged to differ, aching as they were from not doing any sort of training after school, but he ignored them. He could help Akane. Finally, he could do something aside from the ever hopeless tests, and the waiting, and the needless, self-imposed protecting. He felt as though a glimmer of light had shone down into the depths of his despair to pick him out and give him a chance.<p>

"Tell me," he said again, watching as the doctor was starting to look uncertain.

_No, no you're not backin' down now...I'm not gonna letcha..._

"It involves you being in a state similar to what you were in that time, with Akane...visiting her through the nothingness."

Ranma's face fell. He remembered that, all too well. The pain of realizing, the frustration at being told not to do it again, and the shame at knowing that he hadn't really wanted to. Certainly, he wanted to see Akane, even if it was in some sort of non-reality world. He wanted to see her more then anything. But it still wasn't real. He didn't even know if he had seen the real Akane there; he was half convinced that it was all him. Yet she had said such strange things, in that small time together...things he doubted his mind had come up with on it's own.

"Right," said Ranma, trying his best to not let the doctor see his nervous expression. He idly began stroking the back of Akane's hand with his thumb again; it was comforting, and calmed his nerves. Somewhat.

"Okay. First, after you told me about your experiences there, I told an old colleague of mine, Dr. Jinsu Ika, about it. He has had more coma patients then anyone else I know, and he specifically had one experience that I wanted to know about; one of his patients, two years ago, had his aura removed forcibly, then slammed back into him in the course of a fight. That patient was in a coma for four days, and then was brought out...using this technique."

_This is real, I can do this! I can do this, even if it means...going there again. Hold on Akane, I'm comin'!_

He saw the doctor wince, but ignored it, suddenly feeling excited enough to go right ahead with the technique then and there. The only things that stopped him were the part of him that was rational, holding him back, and the fact that he didn't actually know what to do yet.

"You have to keep in mind that the person who was in the coma is a martial artist that is stronger then Akane, and almost as strong as you. The person who...retrieved him, was his wife. She is a master of kendo, and is nearly as strong as her husband," cautioned the doctor. Ranma nodded, though his face was turning thoughtful.

_So that's why he's concerned...he doesn't think Akane's strong enough, maybe? Or cause she's a girl?_

"It took several hours to get him out, once she was there. She put herself into a trance-like state where her body was in slumber, but her mind met in a different plane of reality with her husband. There, she taught him the technique to get him out." His voice was firm now, as Ranma absorbed the information.

_A technique...I can learn anythin', easy...but can I teach it to Akane? Of course I can, she'll have to learn...she'll have to._

"What's the technique?" Dr. Tofu put up a hand as though to pause him, and Ranma felt a bubble of annoyance rise up.

"The technique in itself is something fairly simple to learn, for you anyway. In the real world, with your real body. However...when you get into the trance...you may find that it's harder to do. The last time you...visited Akane, you were so convinced that it was real that you held to that image, and you were able to interact with her. That took more strength then you realized. This time...you would have to create a place where you two can meet. And where you can teach Akane." Ranma thought about this, furrowing his brow. Then, the obvious answer came to him. The dojo.

"We'll go to the Tendo Dojo; if I can pull that up, Akane sure as hell can. It's practically hers now, after all," he reminded the doctor, and was pleased by the nod that he gave him. However, he was not finished yet.

"You will be teaching Akane in an unfamiliar place. Even I don't know where it is, or exactly what it's like. Plus, these were adults, in their thirties and at the peak of their power. You and Akane are eighteen...I don't know if you can do it." Quickly, Ranma looked over to Akane's face, trying to sense the power there. Willing himself to feel it, for the reassurance. But nothing came. Blinking, he felt his hand shake, then stilled it.

_We can do it...we're strong...Doc said I'm stronger then both of 'em, and you're not that far behind me 'kane...are ya?_

"I'll do it," he said, his voice full of resolve and determination. The doctor sighed expectantly, then nodded.

"As I thought. Sit in the chair Ranma, but turn it so you have your back to Akane. I want you free of distractions for this. Once you're comfortable, let me know, then we'll begin..."

* * *

><p>Akane felt incredibly lonely, stuck as she was in her own mind. The voice, having realized what it was, spent most of it's time sobbing when it wasn't telling her in agonizing detail what Ranma was doing. What he was feeling, what he was saying, how close she thought she was to breaking down from the pressure. Sometimes, it would rant about how much it hated Gosunkugi for doing this to them. Other times it would yell, and scream, trying to free itself from it's own binds. Occasionally it was passive and spoke calmly, but those moments were rare now. It had just finished moaning about Ranma, and how much it wanted to touch him, which felt odder then she could describe. Now it was excited about something, humming to itself.<p>

The voice was definitely her, though. Akane could feel the nuances of herself in the voice, even as she thought it was being weepy, or stupid, or pathetic. It was all aspects she could see in herself; even that story it had told her to begin with, how it was created...it just reeked of her. She had always loved stories and mythology; it made sense she'd put herself into one to help cope with the madness.

"He's going to do it! He's going to do it, he's going to do it, he's going to do it, he's going to-"

_Would you stop that already? I'm nowhere near that pathetic._

"But he's going to! He's going to. I heard him. And the doctor."

_...I don't sound nearly that childish, do I?..._

"I'm not childish!"

For perhaps the millionth time, Akane wished she could sigh. Or at least break a few cement bricks. Maybe line them up, a row of eleven or twelve, and just break them one after the other. She ached for the slight sting of the hand that should come with breaking so many.

_What's he going to do? He's not risking himself again, is he?_

"...maybe."

_Maybe?! What's he doing? He's not coming back in? That stupid, stupid-_

"Don't call him that!"

Akane stopped, and forced her thoughts to calm. It was right. She was right. This version of her, however idiotic and unlike her, and girlish and naive, was right. Ranma wasn't stupid. The whole situation was stupid, not Ranma. She could blame a lot of things on his rashness, but this was not one of them. Not really, anyway.

_What if he hurts himself?_ She was surprised at how small her own thoughts sounded. As though to compliment the tone, the voice began sounding less childish and more nurturing.

"He'll be fine, don't you worry. He's strong. Right? Our Ranma is tough, and strong, and brave, and..."

Akane felt a low moan want to rise up, but she wasn't able to summon it from anywhere. Frustrated, she instead upped the volume of her thoughts.

_Stop that! Stop that right now!_

"What? Isn't it true?"

_Well...maybe...but you don't have to sound like such a little girl about it._

"Oh, but Akane...we ARE a little girl. Aren't we?"

_WE are eighteen years old._ The voice just laughed, but soon the laughter turned to sobbing, and she knew the voiced would stop paying attention to her, at least until she got her cry out. Akane wondered if her body was actually shedding tears. Could it do that?

_Oh, Ranma...just get me out soon...please...whatever stupid thing it is that you're doing...just hurry up with it already...but if you hurt yourself...I swear to god, when I get out of here... _The empty threat died, and slowly she began to envy the voice for it's ability to cry.

* * *

><p>In the small, well-lit room, two beds were set up within a foot of each other. Laying on one of the beds was Akane, motionless as usual, her right arm reaching out towards the bed beside her. Her hand was lost inside the hand of Ranma, who was laying in the next bed, staring at the ceiling. His expression was that of quiet contemplation, and he barely paid attention to the others that were present.<p>

Around the room were Mr. Tendo, Kasumi, and Nabiki, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Saotome, quietly talking and watching worriedly. Although Mr. Tendo and Kasumi only had eyes for Akane, everyone else was looking between the two with anxious looks on their faces. Ranma's mother hadn't stopped staring at him since arriving ten minutes ago.

Between the two beds, near their linked hands, Ranma could see the doctor standing out of the corner of his eye. He was reading them, he knew; he was being cautious. Overly cautious perhaps, but Ranma allowed it. There wasn't much he could do about it, anyway, and the doctor had instructed him to remain calm before the trance. So calm he stayed, focusing on the technique he was to teach Akane, and how he was going to go about doing it.

_If I can find her...I just gotta bring her into my image, and hope she understands._

The technique was fairly simple; he was certain Akane could get it. It was a matter of basically reinforcing the attachment between the mind, soul and body. It was supposed to cause a jump in her mind and wake her from the coma, leaving her weak and dizzy, but otherwise fine. But doing the technique was not the hard part; it was finding her, and teaching, that would prove challenging. As always, though, Ranma was up to any challenge, especially if it involved martial arts and saving Akane.

The way he was getting there wasn't the nothingness, either; Dr. Tofu had said that that was much too dangerous. Instead, they were using a technique that was something like hypnotism, at least at first. Ranma would be hypnotized, then Dr. Tofu would carefully guide his aura to Akane's. In that state, he should be able to meet Akane in a dream-like world. Or rather, two dream-like worlds; that was the problem. Akane would see one place, while Ranma would see something completely different. He had to find her, recognize her, and coax her into seeing what he was seeing. Supposedly, it would have been much more easy to do if he went to the Nothingness, but it was much more dangerous there. He could get lost more easily, and stuck, and then they would have two people in a coma that just refused to let go.

"We're ready now. They're both calm enough, and Akane's ki is at a peak activity wise; she's in a dream. Ranma, if you want to back out, now is the time," he heard the doctor say, as though from the next room. Ranma just gritted his teeth and blinked.

"I ain't backin' out. I'm ready."

Others were talking in the room, encouraging, voicing frustrations and anxieties, worriedly wishing him luck. Something inside of him almost wanted to listen to the anxieties, to the caution, but he didn't want to let himself. Not for one second could he doubt himself or Akane on this. Not even one second.

Summoning his strength, Ranma tensed and released his muscles, feeling himself relax. He needed a clear mind for this, and an image burned inside of it; him, and Akane, in the Tendo dojo. Detailed images; he wore his blue Chinese shirt and black pants, and Akane the blue dress from the day of the curse, and there was an altar on one side of the room. A window was closed on one side, and the door open a crack. On the floor he sat, with Akane in front of him, and they watched each other quietly.

He kept the image firmly on his mind, focusing on it as he heard the doctor start speaking to him in a calm voice.

"We'll begin then; everyone, quiet please. Now Ranma...I want you to relax completely, and focus on every word that I say..."

As Ranma closed his eyes, he felt himself floating, slipping away into the doctor's words. His left hand tingled with the connection to Akane; he was going to be doing something with her as well, encouraging the dream in her. Wasn't he? Ranma found that he was beginning to forget.

The doctor's voice was haunting now. He couldn't understand the words anymore as he felt his very aura burn and fizzle like volcanic rock hitting the roaring ocean. It hurt, like cold ice cream on the brain, and he tried to wince but found that he had lost control of his nerves. The realization didn't bother him as much as he thought it would; instead he floated into the darkness, wondering why he was having trouble opening his eyes. Wondering where he was going, how he would get back, and what it would look like when he got there.

He sped up; he could feel it, the traveling, the turning, the twisting. Still he couldn't open his eyes, and instead rode on what felt like a roller coaster. Dipping down, fast, faster, faster still, then a slow ascent. Agonizingly slow, only to go down again, faster then before, fast enough to make him want to scream.

Then he stopped, and promptly felt himself hit the hard, wooden ground. With a groan, he shifted himself to his back and opened his eyes.

What he saw was the ceiling to the Tendo dojo. Blinking, he felt his memory come back like a fog, and he sat up quickly, wiping the dizziness from his eyes.

"I'm in the...Akane? Akane!" he called, looking around frantically. He didn't think he had such good luck as that, but still he wanted to try. Had to try.

But he was alone. His words echoed off of the ceiling and walls in ways they never did in the real world. Sighing, he pushed himself to his feet, and began looking around the room. It was sorely inaccurate.

"Man...this ain't right...there's s'posed to be a crack here, for one...," he said, looking at a spot on the wall that looked newer then it should. As soon as he concentrated, the crack was there, an exact copy of the one in the real dojo.

"Whoa..."

He combed the entire dojo, adding cracks and wood knots, objects to the alter, scuff marks on the floor. When it was finally done, he stopped and stood in the center of the room. It was perfect; as exact as his memory would recall it.

_Except it's missing Akane..._

"How do I get her in here? Maybe she's in the house...in her room?" he wondered, feeling anxious. But he wasn't sure if leaving the dojo was such a good idea; it had taken him ten minutes just to get it perfect, how long would it take for him to get the main house?

"I gotta call her here...but how?" He knew that just imagining her there wouldn't work; the doctor had cautioned him against doing that, saying that he'd more then likely end up with an image of Akane rather then the real thing.

_Akane, Akane, Akane...where are you?_

"Maybe if I just wait for a bit...she'll come in on her own...yeah, that's it Saotome, because your luck is so great?" He shook his head as he sat back down again. His energy was beginning to sap, as though he had been running for a very long time. He wasn't even sure how long the traveling had taken him. It had felt like a few minutes, but the doctor had said it could realistically be at least an hour.

He jumped as laughter began to fill his mind; loud giggling, like a boy child laughing at a prank. Shaking his head, Ranma got up, scanning the room. But nothing was there.

"Who is it?" he called angrily, looking at the window, then the door, seeing nothing different at either. The thick air around him caused him to feel warmer, yet he wasn't sweating.

"You mean ya don't know?" asked the voice, and still Ranma couldn't tell where it was coming from. It seemed to be coming from nowhere and everywhere all at once; both in his mind and outside of it. And the voice...it sounded so familiar.

"Just show yourself already! I don't have time for games." He heard a shuffling, as though the being was thinking about this. Nervous, though still angry, Ranma crossed his arms and looked around with slitted blue eyes.

"You never have time for games anymore."

Ranma could practically hear it pouting; the sensation of knowing it, yet not, was starting to block out his anger as confusion set in.

_Who IS that? I know that voice..._

"Of course you know it! Stupid," it said, though Ranma hadn't spoken the words. Surprised, he merely stood in the center of the room, waiting. If he didn't know better, he would have sworn that it was his own voice, though younger.

"You're...," he began slowly, eyes wide with realization.

_No, no it can't be...me? It sounds just like me though...ugh, this is so stupid. I don't have time for this! I need to find Akane, and..._

"Akane's okay. Err, I think."

Breaking away from the spell of confusion, Ranma's eyes widened, and he took as step forward as though he wanted to attack the voice.

"Where is she? Bring her here! And how do you know anything?" The voice was eerily quiet.

"Dunno." But Ranma shook his head stubbornly.

"Don't gimme that. You know! Tell me!" A sort of breeze passed through him, making him feel cold and empty. So, so empty that his arms fell from being crossed, and he hung them limply at his sides.

"I really don't know. But...I hope she's around here. Somewhere," the voice sounded so wistful, and suddenly he wondered if it really was his own voice.

_Maybe something's just talking with my voice...that makes more sense..._

"Feh. And wouldn't that be convenient? Our luck's not that good," said the voice in it's odd, pouty whine. Ranma shook his head, as though trying to shake the voice away.

"Our? You're not me, dumbass." But the voice just laughed maddeningly, frustrating him to no end.

"Just show yourself already! We'll see who's me and who's not. I'll kick your ass either way if you don't bring me Akane."

The voice seemed to pause in its laughter, considering this. Ranma felt the breeze once more, but forced himself to not shiver. He didn't like this, not one bit, and now his vision was starting to blur.

"Ya really wanna see me?"

"Yes! Whaddya think I've been sayin'?"

"Great! I was waitin' for that. I don't like being stuck like this...I wanna...manitest," it said, causing Ranma's eyebrow to twitch, as he wondered if that was really such a good idea.

"That's manifest, ya dope."

"Whatever. C'mon, picture me. Can't ya? Ya can't, can ya? You're such an idiot, maybe you can't." Ranma could feel his skin prickling, though noticed his aura wasn't flickering.

"Maybe I don't wanna. Maybe it's not such a good idea." But the voice just chuckled.

"It doesn't matter. I think I can...do it...myself. Just lemme in here a minute..."

Ranma began to shake at the sudden headache, and stepped over towards the wall to brace himself. He could...feel the voice, inside of him. It was probing, searching, looking for something. He wasn't sure whether to feel violated or just plain enraged as he bawled up his hands into fists.

"What are ya doing?!" His were eyes shut tight from the pressure.

"Getting at our memories, idiot. Ooh...hey, there's me. With Pop, on a training trip. You remember those, right? Those were fun. No stupid girls, no school, no curse, no people trying to kill us. Just me 'n Pop, walking along, not a care in the world..."

"Get outta my head!" Ranma roared, pressing his hands to his head as he saw that he could picture those memories. He hadn't called them up, but there they were, flashing through his mind as though he was trying to see them. Him, eight or maybe nine, dressed in a small white gi with a black belt, following behind his large, plump father who also wore a white gi. They each had backpacks on, and Ranma carried a stick in his hand, waving it around as though it were a sword or a staff. His father chuckled at the antics of his son, walking in long strides and occasionally looking back to make sure his son didn't wander away.

They were somewhere in China, somewhere...warm. It was still early, and they seemed to be on a morning walk, no doubt heading around the mountains. As he watched, he heard the giggling sound once more, and the image began to fade. An odd feeling of regret at leaving the happy moment filled him, and he unconsciously tried to cling to it, to go back there.

Slowly, slowly, it faded to blackness, and Ranma felt his headache leave. With a low groan, he opened his eyes, and looked towards the center of the room. His eyes opened the rest of the way in shock at what he saw. It was himself, from that picture. Child Ranma, wearing the same gi, even holding the odd stick in his hands. His posture spoke of great confidence, and he had one hand on his hip, his feet spaced apart in a stance. His eyes shone, and a small smirk adorned his face.

"It's about time! Almost didn't think ya could do it." Ranma groaned, then forced himself away from the wall.

_Dammit...I don't have time for this!...dammit dammit dammit..._

* * *

><p><em>Hey...hey what's going on out there? Can you see? Can you feel anything? <em>thought Akane. Something had...shifted. She didn't want to get her hopes up, but she was sure she had really felt that. It wasn't all in her head. Something had moved, and a familiar sensation had come over her. Feeling. She relished at the touch, but was still doubtful; she still couldn't see, and as far as she could tell, she was still in her own mind. She heard the voice sigh, then make a light clucking sound, as though clucking it's tongue.

"I don't know. Well no...I know, but I'm not sure." Akane had expected that; when had the voice ever given her a straight answer, recently?

_What do you know?_

"Dr. Tofu put Ranma in a trance...but he's connected to you. Connected, connected, connected...hey. And Ranma...he's seeing something. Or feeling something, but he's angry. His aura's all tingly, and warm. I think he's mad." Akane thought about this uncertainly. If Ranma was in a trance, what was making him angry? And he could see? It didn't make sense. She couldn't see anything, hadn't the doctor sent him to the same place again? If it was, she should be able to see something. _But maybe that's what the feeling was._

"Hey, you can feel now?" asked the voice. Akane hadn't meant to have her thoughts be directed to the voice like that, but they had anyway. The bond between them was growing; they were one person, yet still different for some reason.

_Sort of. I don't know what I'm feeling, but it's...odd._

"Hmm," was all the voice said in reply. Akane wondered if it was going to fade into her again, like it had before. Wasn't that a part of it? It had said that, earlier. Worry for Ranma made the odd tingly feeling come back again; yes, she was definitely feeling something. And it was obviously due to something the doctor had done, but she couldn't tell if her still being there meant that it was not working.

_Can you tell what he's seeing?_

"It's...hey. It's familiar...smells...musty. And sweaty. I can't really see it...but it's familiar. Maybe..."

_Sweaty? The school gym?_

"No, no, more familiar. Closer...it smells...kinda like...Dad, and Kasumi's wood cleaner."

_Wait, how can you smell now? You couldn't before._

"...I don't know."

_R-right. Umm...maybe it's home,_ she wondered, trying to picture it. She was shocked to suddenly see the blackness before her transform, and to feel firm wood beneath her feet. Gasping, and feeling shock at being able to suddenly, she found that she was in the Tendo sitting room. The table was gleaming with polish in front of her; to one side, the tv was on it's stand, off and looking freshly cleaned as well. The walls were of white paint and wood, and as she turned around, she saw the sliding door open just a crack. Eyes wide, she walked toward it, relishing the ability to be able to move again. A tear came to her eye as she ran out the door, her heart pumping fast.

"Ranma? Dad? Kasumi? Nabiki? Anyone?" she called, feeling her blood pumping faster at the excitement. Adrenaline made her feel high. She ignored the fact that she shouldn't really be home, that she should be in a hospital, and that if she really was home she should be weak. Weak as a kitten, and definitely not wearing the same blue dress that she had been wearing on the date.

"Ranma? Ranma!" she yelled, going from her room, to Nabiki's room, to the bathroom, still seeing noone.

"Akane, wait...," the voice began, a small, girlish plea for attention. Akane ignored it, not feeling undaunted quite yet. She searched the downstairs area, the kitchen, the porch, the dinning room, Ranma's room. Only when she got back to the entranceway did she stop, gasping for breath. No one was there. Her excitement fell in a heap, and immediately her mood went right back down. Sadly, she braced herself against the wall, looking around. Really looking around. There were...errors, she noticed. The house was too clean, there wasn't enough detail in the wood, and things were missing. The phone in the hall, on the desk. It wasn't there, but as she thought about it, it appeared before her eyes. With a low moan, Akane put a hand to her head, feeling the emptiness come in once more.

"It's not really home," she said, her voice sounding so, so old. And tired. Slumping down on the floor, she put her head in her hands, sighing. As she looked down at herself, she felt irritation at the sight of the dress.

_That stupid, stupid fight...arg, why did we do it?...why didn't I...listen..._

Immediately the dress was gone, replaced with a pair of white shorts and a blue t-shirt. Confused, Akane shook her head, a blank expression on her face.

"But you couldn't listen. We couldn't listen. We had to...try," the childish voice soothed. That just angered her all the more. Why did they have to try, anyway? Was this really worth it? She didn't even noticed that she had lashed out until she heard the sound of her own fist punching the ground. She looked at it in wonderment, her eyes going wide as she saw that she could put the floor back together once she moved her fist. Blinking, she slowly got up, backing away from the floor as though she had seen something very unsettling.

"Can you let me out too? Please please please? I'm getting tired in here...and it's frustrating." Turning away from the floor, Akane looked at the wall, letting her eyes blur.

"Let you out? What do you mean?"

"Actually...I think I can let myself out, I have an idea. Just a minute."

Akane was suddenly hit by a fierce headache that made her groan; she immediately knelt to the floor, and an image came into her mind as though she had called it up. She saw herself, maybe eight or nine years old, playing outside. There was a large tree nearby; she was running around it, wearing a pretty red sundress covered in grass stains, and holding a big straw hat in her hand. It was a sunny day, and she was in the park, having the time of her life. Nearby, she could see Kasumi, walking towards her with a small smile on her face and stopping to watch the little Akane play. Kasumi wasn't much older, herself; perhaps eleven, though she looked and acted much older. The girl waved to her big sister, then stopped running around the tree to run to her, toppling her over. Kasumi gasped, lecturing Akane on being so rough, but giggled all the same. Laughing, Akane helped her to her feet, then followed her back to the house for supper.

Slowly, the image began to blur as she heard a light humming sound like a lullaby. The headache receded, and the image disappeared, fading away to blackness. Realizing she had closed her eyes, she opened them slowly and gasped at what she saw.

A little girl with short, dark blue hair, wearing a red sundress and a cute, oversized straw hat stood before her. She smiled up at Akane shyly, though her eyes gleamed with mischief.

_It's me...it's...but..._

"Hi, Akane," she said in a small, childish voice. Akane felt as though she may lose her balance, and looked down at the child with wide, questioning eyes.

_It's...really me. _Slowly, she pulled away from the wall, and took a step towards the child. All thoughts of getting home were forgotten as she watched it in wonderment.

_Really...really, me._

Then she closed her eyes, and felt the odd, black feeling of emptiness and isolation return to her mind.


	20. Saotome School of Anything Goes

**Chapter Two: Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts**

_"You may touch me in dreams but they don't stay  
>(today, I'm gonna have to say)<br>How am I gonna face the light of day?  
>(What have I done now?)"<em> - "You and Me", Ranma 1/2

Dr. Tofu stared down at the link between the two blankly, watching as their auras danced and flickered. There had been a change, in Akane's. It could move higher now, and it hadn't backed down. Grimly, he wondered if it could, and if it was hurting her to stay up like that.

_It can't be hurting her...as long as this doesn't last too much longer, it shouldn't..._

"How long, please, Nabiki?" he asked, not taking his eyes off of them for a second. If it went on too long, he'd get Ranma out of there. He'd press the ki points on Akane, and stop her flow long enough to unsnare Ranma. From there, he could get him back fairly easily, though he'd be exhausted.

And their efforts would be in vain...

"He's been out for an hour and seventeen minutes," came the emotionless voice of Akane's older sister. He frowned, wiping away beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead.

_They should be fine for another few hours...something happened to Akane, though...her ki is...different. This is not what Jinsu said it would be like...maybe it's the difference in age and experience, but..._

"Doctor?" called a male voice from the side of the room. It was full of concern and anxiety, and belonged to Akane's father.

"Yes?" He knew what the question would be. He was tempted to ask him to leave the room, but he knew it wouldn't really help. Plus he had a right to be concerned, and certainly had a right to be in the room with his daughter.

"Is there...any change?" Sighing, the doctor shook his head, but tried not to look too displeased for the sake of the others.

"Slight, but...I don't know what it means yet. Just...hold on."

Silently, he watched as Akane and Ranma's auras flickered, playing with each other. The only sound in the room was the light, comforting white noise of the ceiling lights, humming in a low, unconcerned drone.

* * *

><p>The previously silent false Tendo dojo was now alive with noise, as the child Ranma ran around the room, grunting, kicking, running off the walls, and making ridiculously overly-done noises in the process. The older, real Ranma watched him in confusion and slight irritation, standing in the middle of the room. The boy was so unconcerned, now that it was set free. He ran and trained with a passion that Ranma had near forgotten he had for martial arts, in the past week. It made him want to stop the boy, hold him down, tie him up if need be, but a small part of him decided to let him have his fun. If he left him alone long enough to think, it could be helpful.<p>

_Now that the brat is running around...how do I get to Akane?_

Suddenly remembering something the kid had said earlier about Akane, he jumped to the side of the dojo just in time to trip his younger self, stopping his forward motion. The gi-clad boy tumbled to the ground and looked up at Ranma with an expression of severe annoyance. The older Ranma returned the look with interest, and shook his head.

"Hey. You said somethin' about Akane earlier? Where is she? How do I get her here?"

_If he's really me...he's gotta be concerned about Akane too...right?_

The boy got up slowly, straightening his gi, then stared up at Ranma with large, blue eyes. Ranma cringed, wondering if that was the expression he had given people as a child when he was annoyed. It was...pathetic almost. But he reasoned it was because it was coming from a child. There was also determination in those eyes, which was still around in the older Ranma.

"She's near. Ohhh...she...she found it! She discovered the link!" he said, his face suddenly beaming. Eyes widening, Ranma watched as his younger version cartwheeled happily around him, giggling as it did so.

"Where is she? Call 'er here!" ordered Ranma, suddenly feeling the longing to find Akane intensify. It had been so long since he had seen her...really seen her. And here was this brat that was supposed to be him, cartwheeling happily and not giving him information. It really irritated him, and made him want to throttle the kid, if he didn't look so much like him.

"Hmm...I can't. I don't think I can...but I'll try! Right, I'll try," he said simply, sitting down on the floor cross-legged. Not wanting to look down to talk, Ranma sat down across from him, not taking his eyes off the kid. The latter closed his eyes, his expression looking firm; he was still holding that stupid stick from China in his lap tightly, like a treasure.

"Whaddya see? Huh?" asked Ranma, his eyes intent on the boy. Opening one eye, the boy frowned, shaking his head.

"Not see. Feel. Can't you feel her? Our real body is holding her hand; our aura is touching hers. You can't...feel it?" The boy tilted his head, his voice sounding oddly sympathetic. Growling, Ranma looked away. He wanted to be able to feel her, to sense her, desperately. But he could not.

_And he can? How's THAT fair?_

"Feh. If I could, why would I be asking you?" But he did close his eyes too, and concentrated all his feeling on the hand that, in the real world, was holding Akane. He fought desperately, trying to feel her, to sense her, but he couldn't. Angrily, he let out a low growl and opened his eyes. No Akane had appeared before him; no way to her, no solution, nothing. All he had was the useless Tendo dojo, and a brat with his face that claimed to be him. Bitterness welled up within him, and Ranma scowled at the floor, feeling dejected.

"You didn't just give up, did you?" The accusation made Ranma turn his head back to him quickly.

_Give up? The brat thinks I'd just give up? Of all the...!_

"What? I'd never give up!" he yelled, hands firmly on his knees. But this just made the boy smile, as though reassured.

"Good. Cause...I think I have her. I'm callin' her." Immediately Ranma jumped to his feet, hope suddenly springing up inside of him.

"What, really? No joke?" The boy smiled uselessly and closed his eyes. Ranma felt as though he would go mad from the waiting, from the not knowing.

_If that little runt's playin' with me, I swear to god, me or not, I'll tear him limb from limb and..._

"She's coming. She's coming! I think she is anyway...she...she knows. I think! I think, I think...she'll be...here. Soon. She'll be...here." The boy spoke without rhythm and structure. Excited, childish, and unconcerned. Ranma stood straighter, looking to the door of the dojo, willing with every ounce of his being for Akane to hurry up and walk right through it.

"You're sure?" he asked, barely recognizing his own voice. It was lighter now; less sullen and cynical.

"Yeah. But...ya might not see her right away." Ranma spun around, a tightness in his chest making the light feeling go away. Then he remembered the doctor's words.

_He said we'll each be in our own world...see different things...I gotta coax her into mine..._

"Tell me the second she's in the room. I gotta draw 'er in."

"You'll know, you'll know," said the boy, an impish grin on his face.

* * *

><p>Akane was walking slowly forward now, holding the hand of the small child who she knew was her. Despite this fact, or maybe because of it, she thought of the child as being someone else. It was hard to really know how to behave with a child who was actually her. Because it wasn't, was it? She had never run into a situation like this before, certainly. And the child seemed as lost as she was. So she held her hand, and led her around, pretending somewhere inside of her that it was actually her daughter. A daughter that bore an amazingly remarkable resemblance physically and mentally to Akane at that age, but a daughter all the same.<p>

"What are you feeling now? Anything else?"

The girl had said that she had sensed something; like a martial artist's danger sense, she guessed. But she hadn't been sure exactly where it was coming from. However she had been fairly certain it was Ranma. The implication had made her heart flutter, but she didn't want to give in to hope too much. Yet. So they walked outside in the yard, the girl pointing in the direction they were to go. Which was the Tendo dojo.

It looked larger then it should, and newer. She guessed it was because she was in the dream world; in her mind, the flaws were all erased. If she concentrated, the familiar returned, but for some reason not all the flaws were immediately restored. It was curious, and she wondered if Ranma was in the world too, and experiencing the same things.

_Ranma..._

"It's stronger...here. The dojo! I think...in the dojo? Behind it? Beside? But...the dojo. Yeah...," said the little girl, both uncertain and excited. Nodding encouragingly, Akane tugged her hand, pulling her forward. They walked over the soft, spongy green grass, coloured so brightly that it was unrealistic. The sky above was a beautifully pale blue, and not a single cloud blotched it. The sun, at high noon it seemed, shone brightly down upon her. But the sun didn't hurt her eyes. It was a phenomenon that left her feeling rather uneasy, and she quickly walked into the dojo, closing the door behind them.

It was empty. As she looked around, she slowly began to fix it, adding the cracks, and the altar, and the window. The fixed hole in the wall that Ranma had punched a few weeks ago, the bits of cement in the corner of the room that were usually there after she had been brick breaking. Slowly, meticulously, she filled in every bit until it was completely the dojo. Her dojo.

But still she felt empty. Walking into the center of the room, she let go of the hand of the little girl, watching as she ran around it a few times experimentally. She took off her straw hat, letting it fall behind her on the ground, and laughed. Feeling oddly irritated at it, the older Akane sat down, trying not to look at her younger self having fun.

"How can you laugh at a time like this?" Akane asked, feeling the emptiness inside her ache. Her younger version stopped laughing at least, and ran up behind Akane, climbing over her shoulders and then standing in front of her. Irritated by her immature behaviour, Akane scowled, pushing her away.

"Don't be such an old lady," the little girl scolded. Feeling anger well up but not wanting to release it at someone who looked like a child, Akane merely sniffed and crossed her arms.

"Can you feel him?" she asked evenly, referring to Ranma. The kid immediately sat down on the floor, crossing her legs despite the skirt, and closed her eyes. Akane watched her curiously, the anger slowly melting away.

_Did I really look like that when I was a kid? Act like that?_

"I can...sorta. It's...weird. Hey! Hey, hey...he's...hmm...," said the girl in her odd, high voice. Curiosity piqued, Akane leaned forward, eyes wide and hopeful.

"He's...?"

"He's...calling...to you. To us. Strange, but it's not...oh. Ohhh...," the girl smiled and began to laugh, as though she had just heard a funny joke. Leaning back again, Akane fumed, feeling her patience start to run out.

"What's strange?" she asked harshly. The girl slowed her laugh, and began humming.

"Can't you feel it? I can feel it. And you're me, so..."

"Feel what?"

"Close your eyes silly. Feel."

Obediently, though hesitantly, Akane closed her eyes. She felt...dizzy. And cold, despite that it looked to be quite a hot day where they were. Her head swam with thoughts, and concern, and worry for herself and Ranma, so she couldn't really feel. Not herself, only her thoughts. Forcing herself into discipline, she sorted her thoughts, boxed them, tried to put them aside. But then an image of Ranma came up. His hair was dark, and shone; his eyes were full of mischief, and his face had so much ignorant pride in it, that she could swear he was boasting about something then and there. The image was blurry, though; it had been a few days since she had really seem him. Or maybe it was a week? Or more? She couldn't remember anymore. His voice, too, was hard to recall correctly, and she felt sadness start to well up in her.

_Shh, calm down...try to just feel. He might be here soon..._

She coaxed her mind into obedience, keeping her back straight, concentrating on feeling. On the tingling of her aura, not useable here, and on the link she knew she had to Ranma. Slowly, surely, she thought she could hear something. But she wasn't sure what it was, or if it was just her imagination.

"Akane!" The sound of Ranma calling her name, at once renewing her memory of his voice, made her eyes open wide and she stood up in a flash.

"Ranma?" she called back, looking around. But he wasn't there. The child version of herself still sat cross-legged, humming and with her eyes closed. She was alone in the room, aside from herself.

_He's not here..._

Glumly, she was about to sit down again, then a prickling of her skin made her stand up straight.

"Akane? Akane can ya hear me?"

Her heart leapt. It was Ranma! He was really there! Somewhere at least...she wasn't quite sure, really. His voice sounded like it should be right beside her, but there was no one there. It didn't sound like he was outside, either. It was too close. Confused, she spun around, looking everywhere but not seeing him.

"Ranma? I can hear you! But I can't see you, where are you?" Then there was a pause. Silence.

"I'm here! Listen, ya gotta come over here. You're in the dojo, right?"

_It's Ranma! He's really there! He's..._

She was so happy that she didn't hear what he had said properly, at least not right away. What did he mean by her going there? And how did he know where she was? Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, she turned towards where the voice seemed to be coming from.

"I'm in the dojo. Well, it's not the real dojo...where are you? I can hear you, but...," she said softly, raising her hand as though wanting to reach out and touch him. It hurt, that she couldn't see him. But she tried to take comfort in the fact that he was at least there; they had found each other again, after a fashion.

"I'm in the dojo too. Err, but it's my dojo, not yours...look, Dr. Tofu says I gotta get you into my image. But if we're both in the dojo..., he said, his voice sounding uncertain. Akane let her arm fall limply as she realized that he had no idea how to do that. Sighing, she looked towards the younger version of herself, still humming, still looking lost in thought. Briefly, she envied her for her carefree spirit; even now, she seemed relatively calm and in control, while Akane was leaping from one emotion to the next like a grasshopper. It was a whirlwind she could do without, and she had a feeling it wouldn't be over soon.

"But if we can hear each other...shouldn't we be able to feel each other?" asked Akane, the thought just occurring to her.

_Of course! I just need to reach out...and find him...if he's here..._

"Uhh...maybe. I don't really know. Stay still, okay? I'll try." To her relief, his voice sounded more sure of itself now; obviously, he hadn't thought about that either until she mentioned it.

"Okay."

Ranma had sounded straight in front of her; she reasoned that all he had to do was walk forward, reach out, and...

But when after a few moments passed and she felt nothing, Akane sighed and felt her hopes lessen.

"Akane? Hey, don't give up on me now," said Ranma, his voice coming from behind her.

_He...he passed right through me..._

Slowly, she turned around to face the voice, shaking her head.

"You walked right through me. I was right there!" she cried, upset. A ball of stress threatened to consume her as she stood, and Akane took a step forward, feeling heat rising up inside of her.

_We're stuck like this...I can't get out...I..._

"Hey...hey you're not crying, are ya? Don't cry," pleaded Ranma. Indignantly, she held her head high, not wanting to be crying. She wasn't a little girl, and she refused to cry at the situation.

"I'm not."

"Good. Cause I'm gonna be needing ya. Listen...this uhh...might sound weird, but...there's this guy here. He says he's me, and he looks like me when I was a kid. He ripped the memory from my mind. Anyway, he seems to have some sorta connection to you. Do you, uhh...feel that?" Immediately she looked over to the little girl, and watched as she smirked, obviously hearing.

"That kid is you, Ranma. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I think it's something like your id. Or maybe ego. I don't really know, I've had one since I was knocked out, though at first I thought she was...something else," Akane said, not wanting to reveal to Ranma her embarrassing error, despite that it was probably a natural coping technique.

"Really? There's a mini-Akane over there?"

"Yes there is. And she seems to have a connection with you too...hey, maybe it's really a connection to the younger you? I wonder...," she said, walking up to the little girl and kneeling. She opened one small, grey eye, and took in the older Akane curiously.

"Hey. He's there. Any ideas?" But the girl just shook her head, making Akane frown.

"I can feel him. But...oh. Oh, he just had an idea. It might work...it might, might, might work," she said, her eyes glinting as her voice did a singsong.

"Ranma? Ranma did you hear that?" asked the older Akane.

"Yeah, she sounds just as annoying as mine."

"Not that, idiot! She thinks they have an idea," she replied, feeling odd at calling Ranma an idiot when he technically wasn't even there. Putting her head down, she sighed, looking at the floor. Ranma didn't seem to notice the insult, and if he did, he didn't say anything about it.

"Sounds 'bout right, this guy's hummin' like a friggin' tool." Looking back to the girl, Akane knelt down, watching as she furrowed her brow in concentration.

"What are you trying?" she asked her quietly. Slowly, surely, she watched as the younger Akane took her hand and held it tightly, her small hand disappearing in Akane's slightly larger one.

"We're gonna fade. But...it'll only last a minute. Just close your eyes, and trust me. Ranma'll do the same."

"But..."

"Shh. Just do it." Skeptically, Akane gulped, then obeyed. An odd feeling of melting came over her, and she was suddenly glad she had sat down first.

* * *

><p>"You want me to what?" asked Ranma, sitting down in front of the brat and looking it squarely in the eye. He looked back at him smugly, holding out his hand palm up, his eyes glinting.<p>

"You wanna see Akane, don'tcha?" Ranma snorted, as though to answer the question. Of course he wanted to see Akane. That's why he was there, wasn't it? Though the brat wasn't being very straight-forward.

_Trust him, he says. Well me or not, I don't wanna trust some kid...besides, I wouldn't trust me when I was a kid anyway. I was a bratty little pain in the ass!_

"Of course I wanna see Akane."

Her voice was still ringing in his ears, and he found himself clinging to it. Even when she had called him an idiot; it had all sounded so familiar, so real, so...Akane. And she was there, somewhere. He knew she was. He just had to get to her now, and then he could start teaching. But first...

"Well?" asked the boy, his voice almost a whine. Sullenly, Ranma stuck out his hand, taking the hand of the younger boy. It felt oddly soft; he thought his hand would be callused, even at that age, but maybe it hadn't picked the memory out so well.

"Just get 'er here."

"Yes! Here we come, 'Kane," said the boy gleefully. Then Ranma closed his eyes, and felt himself melting into a fuzzy, swirling blackness.

Unlike the traveling, the feeling only lasted for an instant. It was soft, and spongy, unlike anything he had ever felt before. He understood now what the littler Akane had meant when she said fading; that was exactly what it was. An emptiness inside of him was briefly filled, and he felt as though he were swimming.

Just as he was starting to get used to it, he felt the wood below him again, firm and cool and comforting. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was his younger self, grinning widely. Behind him, with her back to him, was a little girl who he had never seen before. She wore a large, straw hat and a small red dress, and seemed to be about the same age as the boy.

_That's the mini-Akane...so that means that..._

Leaning around to look beyond the kids, his eyes immediately targeted on the real Akane, and for a moment he was driven speechless. She was sitting, cross-legged, her eyes still closed. She wore a blue shirt and white shorts, and sat with a confident posture, though on her face she wore a frown. Her hair, short and tousled, looked like it could use a good brushing, and she held the hand of the little girl tightly, as though clinging for her life.

"A-Akane?" he called, breaking the spell and standing up. His voice sounded so hollow, so far away. As though thinking her still a dream, he took a cautious step towards her, and watched as her silver eyes flashed open.

"Ranma!" she cried, getting to her feet. But once there she just stared at him, as though struck by the same spell he had been when he first saw her. He ignored the sound of the two kids, getting up and running away to a corner of the dojo to play; he only had eyes for the real Akane now, though he wasn't sure why she looked so dumbfounded.

But something didn't seem right. Her image wavered, and blurred, and before his eyes he saw her clothing change. To her schooldress, to the blue dress she had worn during the curse, to her gi, to his own red shirt that he had put on her that time he had thought she was dead. Blinking, he took a step back, then watched as Akane tilted her head.

"Ranma? What's wrong?"

Trying to calm down his mind, he forced the image of Akane to lock back to the original clothing he had seen her in.

_Blue shirt, and...white shorts? Grey?_

"This's gonna sound odd, but...what are you wearing?" he asked, and watched as Akane frowned, immediately looking down on herself.

"Blue shirt, white shorts. Don't tell me you still can't see me properly? Is that why you're looking at me like that?" she asked, sounding upset. But Ranma shook his head, concentrating on keeping her appearance locked.

_I can't let her change...she might fade away. I can't lose her now._

"N-no. It just...you were...changin'. Am I changin'?" he asked, looking down at himself. His clothing was staying the same blue shirt and black pants, but he wasn't sure about what she was seeing.

"No...no, you're not," she said slowly, her voice low. He noticed that she had tears in her eyes now.

_Oh great, did I upset her already? With the changin' thing? Dammit..._

"Listen, Akane I..." he began, watching as she took a step towards him. But she was smiling now, and suddenly the tears made sense. Slowly, carefully, as though scared he'd disappear if she went too fast, she closed the short distance behind them

"Shh...it's alright. You're here now, and that's all that matters," she said, still looking at him with that same spellbinding expression. She was so close now; he could reach out and touch her, if he wanted. And he did want to touch her, to confirm to himself that she was alright, and before him. That she was really there.

"I...I know," he said softly, feeling his hand shake. As though in slow motion, he saw her reach out a hand, raising it to touch his face. Standing still, he waited for the touch, torn between reaching out to hold her, and being his usual non-sentimental self.

_But it's Akane...and I just found her...and..._

Just as her finger tips brushed his cheek, the sound of two small bodies tumbling behind them broke the spell, as well as the light giggling of children. Turning around, he glared at his younger self, who was tumbling around the ground with the younger Akane, clearly in the middle of a fight. Anger rose to heat his cheeks, and he heard the real Akane sigh as she stepped up beside him, watching them. The spell between them was broken, and she grabbed his hand calmly, squeezing it. Despite that the moment was ruined, he felt an incredible rush of relief at the feel of her hand. He held it tightly, realizing that it was the first time in a long while that he got to hold it while she was conscious. Gently, he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, then stopped as she felt Akane shake nervously.

"I was kinda hopin' they'd go away," he said after a moment, gesturing to their younger selves. They were so completely in their own world now, fighting, and playing, looking as though nothing was going to tear them away from each other again.

"I think it's sweet. In a way. It's us, Ranma...isn't it?" she asked, her voice full of wonder.

"Maybe," was all he'd commit to, not wanting to think about them right then. Putting them aside, he turned around to face Akane. "I'm just glad I found you again. I was...well, worried." Akane nodded, her smile turning into a frown.

"I know. I was worried too," she said, though not looking directly at him.

Of all the times he had hoped for this moment, had urged it to happen, begged and pleaded, Ranma realized he had not once thought about what he should say. Or what he should do, or how he should act. All he knew, ever since the doctor had told him about meeting her like this, was that he had to find her, teach her, and bring her back. Now though, he found himself not feeling as anxious to get on with it. Akane was beside him. Really there, really conscious, really...with him. Wasn't she? He didn't want to rush into something else, try to go back and possibly lose her again. If that happened, he knew it would be just like the last time, when he thought she was awake again in the room. He'd feel happiness, and relief, and peace, and then the pain would be back. And the frustration, and sadness, and anger. He didn't want to feel those things again. Looking over Akane's somber, familiar face, he knew he couldn't lose her again. He just couldn't.

"I..."

_No, I can't tell her that...I can't tell her that I'm worried, or that I'm not sure if this'll work._

"What is it?" Feeling oddly nervous under her gaze, he shook his head.

"Nothin'. I uh...was just thinkin'," he said, with no intention of telling her his real thoughts. As though sensing this, Akane allowed her gaze to drift to the children again. They were sitting calmly now, looking at each other and talking. There was an odd innocence in their eyes, a bond. Grimly, Ranma wondered if their inner selves were being more truthful with each other then they were.

"How...how long has it been? How long have I been gone? You seem...you act as though it's been a while," said Akane softly, and Ranma noticed that he had been stroking the back of her hand with his thumb again. Unsure if she disapproved, he stopped, his eyes going to the children as well. Akane's hand shook slightly, then stopped.

"Nine days," he said, without having to count back. She nodded slowly

"I...had an idea of what was going on. Her, the girl...she was a voice in my head. She could tell me things. She told me when you were carrying me, when you were near, when Doctor Tofu was having you test. But, she could never quite get a hang on time. It was always vague guesses, and estimates, and sometimes I'd...I'd zone out. It was always so...dark. I couldn't feel, couldn't see, couldn't do anything. I just...waited."

Ranma felt a pang of guilt, knowing the frustration she must have felt in that. The powerlessness. He was sure he'd go crazy under the same circumstances.

"I'm sorry." He wished he could take it all back, take everything back, somehow make it okay again. But he knew he couldn't. All he could do was keep her safe, and hope that things would be okay once they got back.

_If we can both get back..._

"It's not your fault, you didn't know," said Akane, turning back to look at him. He turned his face back as well, and met her gaze.

"I mean, I'm sorry for takin' so long to get you." He heard Akane gulp, and she nodded, trying to put a smile on her face.

"Oh. I knew you would come. You always come." The smile hit her eyes, and Ranma felt himself melting, feelings of uncertainty slowly fading.

_I gotta teach her...and bring her back, with me...I gotta..._

"Listen, you...we...there's somethin' I gotta teach ya. To get outta here," he said firmly, watching as Akane put a determined look on her face, standing straighter.

"Why didn't you say so? What is it?"

_Cause I didn't wanna risk losing you...cause I wanna stay here with you...cause if I go back, you might not be there and the doc won't let me come back...cause I...I just wanna hold your hand, and know you're alright, and not have to deal with the pain again..._

"Had other things on my mind. But c'mon, it's easy, and we only used a few minutes anyway." Akane frowned, but didn't counter it. He had been worried she would, and then he'd have to put his fears to voice. Then his fears would become her fears, and then...

"Okay. Sit down, ya need to be able to close your eyes, and sorta let yourself go," he said, letting go of her hand and sitting cross legged on the floor in demonstration. She sat down as well, a pace in front, and suddenly her clothing flickered again, changing to her yellow gi. Panicking, Ranma's eyes went wide, and she shot him a curious look. Then her eyes went wide as well.

"Ranma, you...your clothes changed!" she said, and Ranma looked down to see that he was now wearing his spare gi. At first he just looked at it, wondering how it had changed. He hadn't called about the change, had he? But...

"Crap. I see you in a gi. Is that...?" She nodded, looking down at herself.

_Maybe it's cause of where we are, and what we're doing...seems to be staying like this, though..._

"I uhh...I think it's okay. You didn't change again, you're still in the gi." He watched her face slowly compose itself. Sighing with relief, he adjusted his legs, then sat straight with his hands on his knees.

"Right. Well...I'm ready now. Show me." There was still a hint of nervousness in her eyes. Ranma tried not to notice it, for fear that it would spread to him.

"Okay, close your eyes...and listen..." The room slowly spun into blackness as he closed his own eyes, a split second after watching her do the same.

* * *

><p><em>Something has changed again...their ki...it's...closer? I wonder...<em>

Doctor Tofu scratched his head, squinting at what he was seeing through his glasses. Something had changed again. It looked like it was for the better, as though they had found each other, but he couldn't quite tell. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead; he didn't know if he should feel relief, not quite yet. But they had been standing there so long...wasn't the change good? Shouldn't they be allowed to assume?

"...Nabiki?" he asked, not taking his eyes off of them.

"Two hours, twenty-three minutes."

_Akane...Ranma...what are you two doing? Did you find each other?_

But the only answer was the constant, irritating hum of the white lights overhead.

* * *

><p>"First, push away your thoughts. Don't think, don't feel, don't worry, just...be," said Ranma, remembering the instructions he had received from the doctor, and voicing them as close as he could remember. Once he felt that he had found his center, he opened his eyes slowly and looked at Akane. This was oddly more familiar now, seeing her with her eyes closed. He didn't want to admit it, but it was almost easier to talk with her this way. Without wondering what she was thinking, or feeling, about him. Without having to worry about scrutiny, or judgement, or..<p>

_Akane doesn't judge you, stupid...she's just...Akane..._

"Lemme know when ya got it," he said, watching as her nose twitched slightly. He allowed himself to look at her; really look at her. Sitting there on her own in front of him. Careful not to lose his center, his eyes brushed over her face, her hair, her body, watching as she fought to get her control. Her short hair was back in the bandanna that she wore while exercising, and her worn out gi hung off of her in some places, and looked like it was getting too small for her in others.

_Why is she so important to me? Isn't she just a girl? Shampoo's much more beautiful, and feminine, and she's not important to me...Ukyo is a great cook, and isn't so hard on me, and she's not important to me in the same way Akane is...what IS it about her?_

He found that he couldn't answer the questions that were coming to him, but oddly wasn't worried. In his mind now, was clarity; he knew the questions didn't really matter. All that mattered was them, and the technique, and getting back.

_And I...like...no...love Akane...I've never loved anyone before her..._

Again, her face twitched, but she schooled it back to the firm, determined face that she had been wearing. He completely missed seeing the boy version of himself staring at him, curiously, with a frown on his face.

"I'm ready," she said, and Ranma nodded, shaking away his self-directed questions.

"Concentrate on the base of your ki. Try 'n feel all your muscles around it, tense and release. You'll feel a flow," he directed, feeling it easily in himself. If they could do this properly, he would go back too, at the same time as her. But he didn't know if they could get it at the same time. He had to make sure she did the last part before he did, or else he might leave before her. And he'd have to start the process all over again.

Akane's face shifted in concentration, and her body wavered slightly, then regained control of itself.

_Good...good...she's gettin' it._

"I have it, I feel it...it's not flowing very fast, though," she said, sounding worried. But Ranma shook his head.

"Don't worry 'bout that. It'll speed up. Okay this's the harder part...ya gotta realign your soul with your body and mind. It's easy in the real world, for me, but the doc said it might be harder, here."

"Right. How do I do that?" Ranma frowned. He didn't know quite how to describe it. The doctor had described it, of course, but when it had actually happened with him, it had felt different then what he said. He had done things differently, as though improvising to achieve the goal. Could Akane do that? He wanted to believe that she could; he liked to believe his fiancee could do a lot of things, but knew it wasn't true. They both had their limitations, though he was the last to admit that he had many. This could easily be one of hers.

"This one is...sorta touch and go. Ya gotta concentrate on yourself as a body, then yourself as a mind, then yourself as a soul. When the doc told me that, I didn't understand it, but I was able to do it still. I don't know how. I drifted off, and improvised, and then what I did...was right," he said, his face looking nervous as he said it. Again, he was glad Akane had her eyes closed; she'd stay more determined, he was sure, if he could not see his nervous expression.

"Well that's awfully vague..."

"Can ya do it?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to try." Then she shut her eyes further, and out of the corner of Ranma's eye, he saw both children silently, somberly, approach them.


	21. Tendo School of Indiscriminate Grappling

**Chapter Three: Tendo School of Indiscriminate Grappling**

_"Because we can't say the words yet,  
>Quietly, I touch your hand!<br>Quietly, I touch your hand."_ - "The Ballad of Ranma and Akane", Ranma 1/2

Her eyes were swimming in the blackness; she didn't want to be there. She wanted to have her eyes opened, and be able to see around her. See the dojo, see her own hands, see...Ranma. Most importantly, she wanted to see Ranma. Reburn his image into her mind and just keep it there. But he had said for her to close her eyes, and at least she still had his voice like this. Calm, and comforting, and sure. Instructing her. It wasn't often that he tried to teach her something, either; it was a new feeling.

Yet still, childishly, she wanted to be able to see him as she did it.

_Don't be selfish...try and do what he said..._

It puzzled her, how she was supposed to do that. Concentrate in ways she hadn't concentrated before. As herself as a body, as a mind, and as a soul. Quietly, she wondered at what those things meant. And Ranma had done it? But he couldn't explain it to her.

_Or maybe he's just embarrassed for some stupid reason..._

"Okay, myself as a body...that should be easy enough." She put a small smile on her face to show confidence. She was a martial artist; her body was a temple, wasn't it? Her temple. She concentrated on this, held onto it, tensing muscles, focusing on the things her body was touching. Skin brushing against her gi, legs and feet touching the familiar floor, the feel of the air on her face, the sweat on her forehead.

What was that odd fading feeling?

"Akane! Stop! You're...just stop, open your eyes!" Ranma's voice was so urgent that her eyes snapped open, and she saw a panicked Ranma on one knee with the foot of the other firmly touching the floor, as though he had been ready to leap up and save her. But from what? Shaking her head, she felt her center leave her and let out a breath of air.

_Dammit...I messed up..._

"What?" she asked, watching as Ranma slowly sat back down, his wild eyes calming as he looked at her. There had been so much worry in his eyes, and fear.

"You were startin' to blur. I thought you were gonna go back to your own image, and I..." He fumbled, and Akane found herself nodding.

_Ugh...and then we would've been right where we were to begin with..._

She frowned, looking down at the floor. Failure one. But what had she done wrong? Was there a specific order to it, or had she not really been concentrating on herself as a body?

"This's gonna be harder then I thought...damn. It's never easy. Nothin's ever easy," She could practically hear the pout in his voice. Feeling his frustration, and being annoyed at herself for it (and partially him, too) she sat up straighter, shaking away the doubts. She could do this. She knew she could do this. Ranma could, and so could she...somehow.

"Just describe it again. I was trying to concentrate on myself as a body, and started tensing all my muscles, feeling what my skin was feeling, concentrating on myself. I was starting to get a hold of it when you told me to stop," she said, and saw Ranma shake his head, his eyes lost in thought.

_That wasn't it? What, then?_

"Ya gotta...well...I, uh...arg." Akane frowned, feeling the urge to roll her eyes at the situation. Here they were, with Ranma finally there to help her, and they couldn't communicate something as simple as this between each other. Oddly, she found herself thinking back to that time Nabiki had been lecturing her in her room, about how her and Ranma had issues. Had communication been one of them? If it wasn't, it certainly should have been.

"Are you telling me as best as you can?" she asked slowly, looking up to his eyes and watching as they shone with an emotion she couldn't quite figure out. His face could be such a mystery, sometimes; one minute he'd be an open book, and she could read everything. See everything. But sometimes...it was like trying to read emotion from a rock.

"Course I am." But she could sense that the confidence in his voice had taken more effort then it should have. Letting the edge of her lips curl up in a knowing smirk, she watched as he faltered, then slitted his eyes.

"What?" he asked defensively. Akane raised a hand, as though to stop the question, and then put it back down on her lap.

_There's got to be something..._

"Okay, how's this. You do it, and tell me what you feel," she suggested, and was taken aback by the blank stare that suddenly filled his eyes. But as she looked at him curiously, he smirked, then let out a small chuckle that served to only confuse her further.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothin'."

_Oh, no, you're not getting away with that._

"No, tell me. Don't you get it? The reason this isn't working is because you don't tell me everything. You need to get into the habit of it," she said, feeling a tinge of anger in her own words. It was enough to cow him, and his face softened, the smirk disappearing.

"I get it, I get it...I was laughing cause, it's kinda...ironic. Or just odd, I dunno. When I was trying to get your aura up, for tests, back in the real world...the doc would ask me to tell him what I was feeling. Sometimes I couldn't do it, and he'd get frustrated, and try to hide it. And I'd get frustrated, cause I wanted to help you, but I didn't have the words. So we'd both be frustrated, because I couldn't do one little thing."

Akane felt herself melt, and put her head down. So that was it. She felt relief in the confession, though it still worried her. Could he get over it, now?

_Looks like we both had trying times, these past few days._

"I'm sorry," she said, unsure of what else to say.

"Nah, it's okay." Then he put on a smile, for her. She met his eyes again, and felt better at seeing the carefree light there again. Slightly. They gazed at each other for a moment, as though mutually taking a break from the teaching. He looked so...tired. Not quite physically, and he was trying to hide it, but mentally he was tired. She wanted to reach out, and touch him, comfort him, but she wasn't quite sure how. Plus she had noticed that their younger selves were looking at them. No, she corrected, not younger selves. Not really. But all the same, she felt on the spot. Old habits of trying to hide her feelings came back.

_But he's...here. And despite how frustrating he's being...he's...Ranma..._

"You two are pathetic," said the younger Ranma suddenly. They all turned to him, watching as he stood with his arms crossed, a frown on his face.

"Watch your mouth, shorty," said the older Ranma irritably, but his younger version just smirked. The younger Akane nodded beside him, as though in agreement, and they simultaneously walked in between the two older versions, the girl facing Akane and the boy facing Ranma.

_Arg, now what..._

But Akane had grown to trust the younger version, after a fashion. She didn't like being called pathetic, but they seemed bent on something. They were so serious, now.

"You need to be honest with yourself," said the younger Akane.

"Yeah! Stop being a jerk," said the younger Ranma. She barely listened to Ranma retaliate, as she looked into the small, liquid grey eyes of her counterpart.

_Honest? But I am being honest! It's all him, it's Ranma who's not being honest. He's not telling me everything. He's being aloof, like he's scared or something. It's all him._

She crossed her arms, finding it odd that she had to look up to the child now, but keeping her eyes determined all the same. She knew the girl could hear her, yet she just shook her head, her red sundress rustling around her legs.

"No. It's not just him, it's you too." Akane's eyes widened.

_What? Of course it's not me. I'm honest. If he asked, I would tell him anything. It's him that's stopping the process, just because he can't tell me what he's feeling._

"Really? Are you sure?" Furiously, Akane looked away, but wondered at the girl's words. Was it just Ranma? But it was always him. She dared a glance over at him, watching as he and the boy were locked in a stare, like some sort of contest. Every once in a while, the boy would say something, then Ranma would quietly stare, his eye twitching. No doubt he was communicating mentally as well.

_Of course I'm sure._

But the look she received from the smaller grey eyes was far from impressed. In fact, she thought she looked peeved, like a mother trying to tell something important to an unhearing daughter. Taken off guard, Akane frowned, wondering what the girl was getting at.

"You trust him?"

_I trust him absolutely. I trusted him to take my body to safety, and to come for me, and he did both._

She did trust him, too. Always trusted him. Unfortunately, she also found herself having to put trust in his uncanny ability to mess things up. Like just now. Sighing, she glanced once more at Ranma, who was not paying an ounce of attention to her, then turned back to the frowning girl.

"Do you love him?" Akane's held her breath a moment, but the girl had said it low enough that the other two hadn't heard. At least, she didn't think they had. Worriedly, she made herself not take her eyes off the girl.

"Nervous?" asked the girl, a smirk not making its way to her eyes.

_You're me, you already know the answer._

"I want to hear you think it. Or say it. I'd rather you'd say it, but I'll settle for thinking." Grumbling under her breath, Akane shook her head, then sighed. She could do this. It wasn't as though she hadn't thought it before. She just wondered why the girl was being so persistent about it. Did they really have to put to words their feelings for each other? Weren't they obvious? They had to go back to the teaching, so she could learn the technique, and they could go home, and...

"Well?"

_I love...Ranma._

It felt surprisingly good to think that, but it was spoiled by the satisfied smile on the girl.

"Good. Now can you tell him that?" She shook her head slowly. As though done with her, the little girl turned around, and tapped the little Ranma on his shoulder.

_What are you doing?_

But the girl didn't answer. The two younger ones whispered, the boy looking annoyed, but agreeable. Soon they stopped, and turned back to their counterparts, determined looks on their faces.

"Saotome school of...," began the boy.

"Tendo school of...," continued the girl.

"...Anything goes martial arts..."

"...Indiscriminate grappling..."

"...Special technique..." They said together, an odd smile on the girl's face as Akane stared, dumbfounded.

"...Mind fade!"

Then Akane fell back to the ground in shock, as the last thing she had seen was the bottom of the shoe of the younger girl, shoving itself into her head.

* * *

><p>"Nabiki...Nabiki, time," said Doctor Tofu, eyes locked on the auras still. It felt like it had been so long, now. Like they had been standing there for days, or weeks, or that maybe time itself had stopped. But he knew it had to be still going.<p>

"She took father out to the phone to order some food," explained Kasumi soothingly. The doctor sighed, but wouldn't let himself turn to look at her. Her voice sounded so sweet, and comforting, and right then he didn't want to be comforted. He wanted to know.

"It's been almost four hours now, Doctor," said Ranma's mother. Nadoka Saotome. Nodding, the doctor ran his hands lightly over the top of the auras. They were flashing, from blue to orange to green to silver, then blue again. But then they calmed themselves, going back to their usual pattern.

"Thank you, Mrs. Saotome," he said, scratching his head. The overhead light was still humming irritably, innocently. It was really starting to drive him, how it was the only sound in the room.

"There is a radio on my counter, over there. Could somebody please turn it on?" It would be enough to keep the others distracted, and keep his mind still. Slowly, the radio crackled to life, invading the room, and he heard Mr. Saotome shuffle back to the other side of the room.

He barely heard the newscaster drone on about how it was going to rain, his eyes locked as they were on the hands of Ranma and Akane.

* * *

><p>Ranma forced himself back into a sitting position, his head still spinning. His forehead in particular throbbed, and he rubbed it, frowning at the floor.<p>

_Stupid little brat...why'd he have to kick me like that..._

As though remembering, he quickly put his head up, looking around the room, his eyes searching for the runt. But all he saw was their fantasy dojo, and Akane in front of him, groaning as she tried to sit up.

_But where'd they...oh, I get it. They went back into our heads..._

Quickly, he walked over to Akane and helped her back into a sitting position. She gave him a grateful look, rubbing her forehead as though in pain.

"I should've expected it to hurt...it hurt when they left," she said irritably, as Ranma knelt beside her.

"Yeah...," was all he could find to say, but Akane seemed to accept this. For now.

The kid had been lecturing him, or at least trying to. About being honest, and open with his feelings. Saying that not only did getting back to the real world depend on his honesty, his relationship with Akane depended on him being open. But he was open, wasn't he? Akane knew how he felt. She always did; they didn't need words, the two of them.

_But that little runt seemed to think we needed more...he's right about one thing, it'd help if I could describe that damned technique better._

"Do you feel any different?" asked Akane, and Ranma realized how close he was to her now as she looked up at him. His first instinct was to back away; he was too close, he'd get her mad, she'd... But he stayed, trying to make himself relax.

"No. Err, yeah. Not so much empty," he said after thinking about it for a moment. Something had been filled up; it felt like when Akane was being pulled into the image, earlier. Except it hadn't hurt then.

_Probably cause that was temporary._

Now he was alone, with Akane. Without the kids running around, being a nuisance and a pain, and without distractions. He found himself both scared and happy, especially when he noticed Akane smirking.

"You're shaking." Realizing that he was, he stopped and looked away, quickly trying to firm his face.

"Was not."

"Were too." It felt oddly familiar, and Ranma soon felt the fear leave him. Finally relaxing, he sat with his back propped up against Akane's shoulder, cross-legged, his hands on the ground by his thighs. It was comforting to feel her there; know she was real, and there, whether or not they were being childish.

_See, we don't need those stupid words._

He found himself oddly distressed by the lack of reply from the voice.

"So what are we going to do now?" she asked wistfully. Ranma stared at the wall of the dojo, without really looking at it. He let his eyesight turn fuzzy, and frowned.

"Dunno. We could try again."

"We could." He felt Akane shuffle, and adjusted his weight to make sure he wasn't making her uncomfortable.

"Hey...that kid...what'd she say to you?" He had seen Akane occasionally looking at him during the conversation, her expression changing each time.

"N-nothing," she said quickly. Too quickly. He turned his head slightly, just enough to see that her hand was holding onto the material of her gi rather tightly.

_Heh. Probably got another version of what I got..._

"Right," he replied, turning back to the wall and taking in a deep breath. He heard Akane do the same, and then sigh.

"What did he tell you?"

"N-nothin'."

"Oh. Right."

They were both silent. He hated that, the silence. It began to eat at him, and he stood up quickly, turning around to face Akane, words on his lips that he was going to force himself to say. But when he found that she had stood up too, and was looking at him with one hand raised as though to make a point, her eyes intent on him, they both blushed and immediately looked down.

"Akane, I...," he began, looking at his foot. But then Akane began to laugh. Confused, and thinking she was laughing at him, he looked up. Her face was so alive, her cheeks pink, and she allowed her whole body to shake with the laughter.

"Wh-what?"

Then she shook her head, wiping a tear from her eye. Insulted, Ranma looked away, firming up his face and crossing his arms. Seeing this, Akane grabbed his wrists, forcing his arms to his sides. He let her, but didn't look at her face.

"No, no I wasn't laughing at you."

"Then what were ya laughin' at?"

"Us."

Their eyes met again, and Ranma tilted his head, trying to read her expression.

_Us?_

"Ranma, look at us. We're pathetic! They were right."

"Whoa, hey, we're not pathetic," he said defensively, unsure what she was getting at. Smiling, she reached up to touch his face, and he forced himself to keep his blush under control as he felt her soft, warm fingers brushing over his cheekbone.

"How do you feel about me?" she asked.

_Ugh. The girl WAS going on about the same thing as the brat..._

"You know how I feel," he said irritably, though keeping his voice soft. But Akane shook her head, maddeningly.

"I know. I do, but...maybe she was right. She said we weren't open enough, or honest enough, and that it wasn't good. She..." Akane stopped, as though embarrassed, and let her eyes just wander over his face as she pulled her hand back, letting her arm hang at her side.

"She what?"

"She wanted me to...tell you how I feel...I could tell her, but I realized. I had never said it to you." Ranma realized she was right; although he had been told that he had declared his feelings to her, that one time, neither had actually said it before. And he didn't think there was a real need to. But something about the way Akane looked, and spoke, said that she was beginning to need it. She wanted something more concrete, something more tangible. Something that made his mouth go dry at the thought of it.

"And uhh...how do you feel?" Immediately the smile on her face turned to a nervous grin, and she raised her hands, waving them above her face as though to say no. She looked so cute right then, not wanting to say her feelings, but it bugged him at the same time.

"No, no, I can't go first. You go first," she said. Ranma sighed, shaking his head.

_Figures. Tryin' ta boss me around again..._

"It was your idea. You go first." Akane straightened, her eyes looking determined.

"Hey, you stood up first. You had something to say. What was it?" she asked.

"Arg. It wasn't that, it was-" But he stopped as he saw her face fall. Worried, he put a hand on her shoulder, frightened by her suddenly sad face.

"No, no don't get that look on your face. Please? Don't do this to me." Something at the back of his mind told him she was playing with him still, but...the look was real. He knew it was.

"Then...stop being a jerk and just tell me how you feel." Her voice was so small that it stunned Ranma, and he shook, closing his eyes.

"Akane I...," he began, then stopped. No, he had to do this. Slowly, he straightened, looking at her as she watched him. Judged him, scrutinized him, or so he imagined. But no one else was around. It was just him, and Akane, in this dream-like world that they had to get out of somehow. Nobody to laugh at them, or yell at them, or be there at all, period. Gulping back his fears, he looked at her and concentrated.

_Okay, how I feel...I did this before, but I have a feeling she wants more then that..._

"I...," he began again, and she tilted her head, her expression encouraging. Ranma groaned inwardly as his tongue suddenly began to feel fat.

_Arg...just do it already, Saotome!_

"Akane...I...I...I...lo...dammit. Akane, I love you!"

Akane quirked an eyebrow, no doubt at the curse, but still smiled. He felt his entire being melt at the smile she had on her face, which quickly turned into a giggle as he realized that he probably looked very dumb right then. And lovestruck. But he was too much under her spell to care.

"I love you too, Ranma." Then she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around his waist in a tight, warm hug. After a few moments, he nervously wrapped his arms around her small, strong body, and held her protectively.

* * *

><p>They sat on the floor again, backs to each other, legs crossed. But the air felt lighter around them; and tingly. It had felt wonderful to hold Ranma like that, and feel him actually hold her back. He didn't do that often. Usually he would just let himself be held, and she had to satisfy herself with that. But this time...<p>

"Ready?" she heard him ask, and felt his back muscles shift against her shoulder blades.

"Ready," she replied, focusing on putting her feelings aside and going into learning mode. They were going to try again. As soon as Akane had released him, Ranma had looked like he was going to say something else, but then he had shaken his head. With that single motion, she had a feeling he had gone right back to business, and she was correct. He had sat down almost immediately, looking up at her expectantly, then looking away. Feeling awkward, she had opted so sit behind him, but with their backs together so she could still feel his support as she concentrated.

_This may have even been missing from last time...the support...I don't feel as isolated, now..._

"Remember the first steps?" Akane nodded, then remembered he couldn't see her. Closing her eyes, she began.

"Find my center, and start the flow."

"Right."

They were silent for a few moments as they both did this. It felt easier this time, since she had done it before, but this wasn't the hard part. This was merely the preparation; setting the atmosphere, so to speak. She wondered if her body, back in the real world, was moving at all. Could she move? Did she? But she forced the questions to die as she sought out the clarity. Clarity of mind, clarity of body, clarity of soul.

"I have it," she said after a moment, letting herself out of it just enough to feel Ranma's back behind her, holding her in the clear blackness.

"Okay. I'll uh...try 'n be more detailed about it this time. Ya gotta focus on you as your body, as your mind, and as your soul. Separately, then together."

"That's not how you said it the first time."

"I know. Work with me, here." Sighing, she drew in a deep breath, then refocused.

"How do I do it?" There was silence, as Ranma was apparently choosing his words. Patiently she waited, not wanting to start anything before she had a better description.

"Don't think of yourself in relation to this room. That's whatcha did the first time, ain't it?" After thinking about it for a moment, Akane realized he was right. But how else was she supposed to do it?

"Yeah...that's what I did."

"I started to do that the first time too, but it didn't feel right. It's more in relation to your own organs. Your breathing, your blood, your heart, your, uh, other parts." She frowned, not sure what he meant by other parts. Something came to mind though, and she felt her cheeks prickle.

_Don't fill in the blanks! Just listen._

"I see. I can do that."

"Great. When ya got it, don't talk, you'll lose your concentration. Elbow me, and I'll tell you what do to next."

"But...if I start to fade again...how will you know?"

"I'll feel ya fade, then I'll stop you before it's too late. Stop worryin' already," he said, though there was a soothing undertone. Akane nodded, gritting her teeth.

"Right. Here I go."

Obeying, she focused on her breathing, trying to feel every inch of her lungs, her esophagus, her tongue, her teeth, her lips. Inhaled through the mouth, exhaled through the nose. She felt her nostrils flaring as she expelled the air, then took it back in through her nose, exhaling through her mouth. Once done, she moved to her heart, tried to feel it beating inside of her. Pumping her blood, her life force. Moving from there, she tried to feel her veins, her other organs, her eyes, her ears, her head. Focusing on feeling her body, and feeling real, she got to a point where she felt she had it. Carefully, so as not to lose it, she pushed her arm back to elbow Ranma in the ribs, then rested her arm again on her leg.

"Good, ya got it this time. Lemme get it too," he said, and she felt herself balancing, as though on one of the thin, metal fences that Ranma loved to run on. But she had never been as good as he was at balancing on it. Still, she held on, feeling the rush of it as well as the fear of losing it. She didn't realize she was biting her lip until she tasted the tang of blood on her tongue.

"Okay, this is the easy part. You as your mind. I got it by saying a mantra the doc told me."

She wanted to speak, but remembered that she shouldn't, and instead held her concentration, still teetering.

"It's some kinda Buddhist thing. Just keep saying it over and over: Omitofo. Omitofo. It's kinda hypnotic after a while, and you'll feel a...click. Really soon."

_Omitofo? But...well, if he says it'll work...Omitofo...O-ohmitoh-ohfo...Omi-itofo..._

She allowed herself to singsong the chant in her head, feeling it filling her mind. Her voice was pure and sweet in her head, and inside of her she felt an expanse growing. It made her feel dizzy, but she held herself in check. Slowly, surely, she felt the click that Ranma had mentioned, and this time jabbed him more sharply, scared to lose it.

"Ow...hey, great. Now, the hard part. The soul. It took me a lil' while to get this...dunno why, cause once I did, it seemed easy. I um...heh. Actually, now that I think of it, I know why it took me a while," he said, then paused. Akane, balancing herself as her mind, and herself as her body, said nothing.

"I...the doc told me to think of a reason to live. And...me being upset, and wanting to get to you and all...I uh...kinda thought of that. It made my soul...tingle. You sorta feel it in the base, like you've gone numb. I uh...I got it pretty fast, once I realized." Akane barely let the words register in her state. She was the reason he lived? Rescuing her?

_O-ohmi-itoh-oh-fo..._

Ranma was often single minded, though. Obtusely single-minded. But it made her wonder...what was her reason to live? What was her reason for being?

_Breathe in and out...feel...be...Omi-ito-ohfo-oh..._

She wanted to be with Ranma. To help people. To teach, to master the martial art that her father had taught her. To be, to know, to cherish, to have children. She wanted to...

_Live..._

When the numbness sank in, she elbowed Ranma so hard that the part of her that was still paying attention was surprised he didn't hit back, or at least fly away.

"Arg. I get it, I get it...lemme catch up. Just stay balanced," he said, but his voice barely registered. She felt like she was on a cloud, suspended by a single hair on her head, unsure of where it was attached. If she moved, or breathed wrong, or dared to speak, she'd fall. Maybe plummet to her death, maybe not, but she could barely breathe in such a state. Ranma seemed to be taking forever. Didn't he know that she was barely clinging? Didn't he know that...

"Got it. Okay. This is the easy part, but...Akane, you're gonna fall. You're gonna fall, and you're gonna be scared, but don't worry. When it starts, you can scream if you wanna, but I promise. I will catch you. Elbow me if you understand." She pushed back her elbow so gently that she wasn't even sure if she had done it. Her balance remained intact somehow. What had he said? About catching her? But she didn't want to fall. Ranma couldn't fly, how was he supposed to catch her?

_O-ohmi-ito-ohfo..._

"Alright. Now, when I say go, I want you to open your eyes, and tense everything around the base of your ki. Then, as soon as you have it, release. Don't bother bracing yourself on the floor, though. If I remember what the doc said correctly...it should be gone before you're halfway there. Now...go!"

Her eyes snapped open as she obeyed, partially feeling fear, and allowing her instincts and martial arts training to take over. She barely felt Ranma behind her as she tensed the muscle, feeling the ki, then released it. Her body tingled, and the colours around the room faded, molded, blurred and turned to mist. Almost wanting to let out that scream that Ranma had suggested, she found herself falling, and realized he had been right. There was no floor anymore. Instead, she fell into a swirling pit of rainbow coloured darkness, keeping her panic in just by the skin of her teeth.

"Ranma? Ranma!" But her voice wouldn't travel anywhere. The wind around her blew it away; they were caught in the swirl of the world between dreams and reality.

_We...we...where's Ranma?_

She looked up and around, and below, but didn't see him. All she saw were the bright colours, and the darkness, and she could feel the cold wind abusing her. Turning her, twisting her. She felt like she'd be sick from all the motion, but her eyes only continued to search for Ranma.

It felt like she was falling one minute, then floating the next. Her hair swirled, her clothing blurred, and she wondered if she was beginning to fade as well.

_Oh no...no, no...where's Ranma?_

She had the sinking feeling that something had gone wrong.

* * *

><p>"Oh my..."<p>

Kasumi raised a hand to her mouth delicately, the only one to speak as the flurry of colours surrounded Ranma and Akane. It sparkled and shone, tugged and twisted, as though a living thing on it's own. It hummed, and sang, and she was unsure whether or not the two had become prisoners of their own auras.

The sight was so amazing that no one noticed that Ranma and Akane had each tensed all of their muscles, and Akane was moaning, as though in pain.

* * *

><p>He had been too fast. He had been too fast, and now he couldn't see Akane anywhere. Amidst the swirling, and the darkness, and the wind and his own wildly beating heart, he didn't know where she was. All he knew was that he was ahead of her, and falling much too fast.<p>

Stretching out his arms and legs, he spread out as much as he could, trying to become less aerodynamic in hopes that he would slow, at least enough for her to catch up. His eyes teared up at the wind, and his pigtail was nearly ripped from his scalp, the pull of it was so strong.

"Akane!" he roared, but the wind just took his voice.

_Dammit...I promised her I'd catch her...but where is she?_

He felt himself slow down, as the turning and twisting went through another edge. Gathering as much ki as he could, so close to the real world and yet not, he pushed it below him, willing himself to go up. It barely slowed him down, but he thought it would be enough. Hoped it would be enough.

"Akane?" he called again, forgetting about the wind. She had to be okay. She just had to.

He found his mind wandering, to all the times he had saved her. To the memories, the emotions, trying to remember what had kept him calm then. Was he calm even? It was hard to actually be it. He could show an ice cold exterior if he had to, but it was hard to keep up. Plus, this was like nothing he had ever tried to rescue her from. He wasn't even exactly sure of where they were, let alone what he should do, or what was really going to happen to them. All he knew was that it lead to home.

Finally though, he saw her, and was surprised to see that she was actually below him.

_Oh...crap, crap, I'm such an idiot..._

As though swimming, he dove down through the twisting, pushing himself with his ki and with whatever strength he could summon. She was so close now, but the wind fought against him. It pushed her away, leaving him to barely snatch at her arm, and miss.

"Ranma!" He watched her mouth, but didn't hear the voice. Cringing, he leapt for her again, and this time he caught her. Holding onto her tightly, just like the time when he had been taking her to the doctor's, he sighed with relief. She was safe; he had found her. Although she looked up at him with gratitude, her eyes were still worried. He had caught her, but what were they going to do now?

_Arg...this is gonna be a rough landing..._

Curling up into a ball, making sure that Akane was well protected with his own body, he steeled his nerves, waiting for impact.

But the impact didn't come. They floated, and fell, and twisted and turned, Ranma feeling as though he were a ball being bounced around by the wind. He watched as Akane's face cringed, and as she buried her face in his shirt, as though not wanting to see. She looked so defenseless, just then. So helpless, and Ranma frowned. It wasn't like her to be this way. She was strong, and tough, and...

"Akane...," he whispered, knowing it would just be carried away by the wind.

Then they both faded away from the tunnel of wind and rainbow-coloured darkness.

* * *

><p>She groaned loudly, putting a hand to her head. It felt so heavy, in there. Her whole body ached, and she found she had a hard time catching her breath.<p>

_Are we still falling? What's going on?_

Below her she felt something soft, almost like a cushion. Something was hanging from her arm, she was sure. Trying to move her other hand to brush it off, she found that when she tugged, her hand wouldn't let go. She was holding onto something. Or was something holding onto her? Confused, she opened her eyes, and looked towards the hand.

The first thing she saw was Ranma Saotome, laying on a bed placed near hers. He grinned at her, his eyes sparkling. Her eyes went wide, and she nearly ripped out the thing that was attached to her arm as she sat up.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on. Lay down, Akane," she heard a voice say.

"Oh Akane! Akane, you're alright!"

"My darling daughter! You're awake!"

The voices of her family and of the doctor surrounded her. She found her view of Ranma was blocked by his mother smiling at her, then turning to fuss over him, and he released her hand after one tight squeeze. The hand that had been held was white from their tight grasp, and numb. She looked at it oddly, as the doctor prodded at her arm, obviously trying to fix the object that she had now identified as an IV.

She was home.

Her father held her tightly, and Akane hugged back, glad to feel the warmth and comfort of her father. Her head still swam with confusion, but she tried to keep herself from drifting off to dizziness.

"Akane? Akane how do you feel? What do you remember last?" she heard the doctor say. It made her laugh, and she was graced with confused expressions.

"You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you. But...Ranma found me. I'm okay. Really." Dr. Tofu still seemed uncertain, and checked her ki. She found herself giggling almost uncontrollably at her happiness, and felt Kasumi touch her cheek, then her forehead, as though checking for a fever.

"Are you certain that you are well?" She asked, and Akane tried to still her giggling as she noticed the concern in her sister's face.

"I'm alright. I'm just glad. So glad."

It was another ten minutes before the doctor stopped checking on her and let her sit up. Her head swam, but she fought to control it. Beside her, she could hear the sounds of people moving the other bed, and replacing it with the chair. Ranma was sitting in it now, shoving papers and other objects into a bag that looked to be his schoolbag. Noting this as odd, she looked at him questioningly. She had suspected that he had been staying the nights, but...

"Ranma? You haven't been...you weren't...always here, were you?" she asked, and watched as Ranma quickly averted his eyes.

"I umm...kinda have been living here since you went out. I still went to school, though," he defended, and Akane smiled.

_So he was protecting me...figures..._

"I believe you," she said, then felt Nabiki's hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she looked at her sister, who had been shier then the others so far. She smiled at her, though it didn't touch her eyes. Akane tried to return the expression, but still felt the deep irritation at her sister that had been there for the past few weeks.

"Hey. Welcome back."

"Thanks." Nabiki patted her once on the shoulder, then turned around, letting Kasumi close again to fuss over her.

_Nabiki..._

"So, Mr. Tendo, you have a choice. You can take Akane home tonight, though she'd have to be helped, in her weakened state, and I could check up on her tomorrow afternoon. Or you can leave her here for another few days."

"Home! Take me home!" shouted Akane, immediately getting the attention of everyone in the room.

"But Akane...don't you think it'd be best if...," she heard her father start to say. Quickly, she gave him a look that said not to cross her, and hoped it would work. He wavered under the look, then turned to the doctor, then back to her. Seeing that she still had the same look on her face, he helplessly turned back to the doctor and nodded.

"We'll take her home."

Gleefully, she got up, fighting the stiffness of her joints and the swimming emotions in her head. Taking one awkward step off the bed, she felt as though she were a toddler, relearning how to walk. How long had it been since she had? Nine days, had Ranma said?

As she took another step, she felt Ranma grab at her elbow, as though to help her. But she brushed him off, turning to look at him with a determined face.

"I just want to walk out of the clinic on my own. After that, you can help me," she said, hoping it would satiate him. He frowned, then nodded, but his face still looked determined.

"But, Akane..."

"No buts! I'm fine," she said, walking forward and leaving him to stutter after her. Before she got too far, she felt another tug at her other elbow. This one was gentler, and when she turned around, she saw that it was Kasumi. She held a bag in her hand, and tried to give him a meaningful look, which was lost on Akane.

_But that's my travel bag...why does she?_

Then slowly, she looked down on herself and flushed as she saw that she was in her pyjamas. Taking the bag quickly, she walked back to the bed, feeling the embarrassment start to rise in her.

"Everybody out. I'm changing."

She didn't hear any snickering or comments as everyone filed out of the room, but her battle aura flickered anyway. Once everyone was gone, she calmly put the bag on the bed, and began to change. Then happiness overtook her and, slowly, she began to weep.

"I'm...I'm home. Really home."


	22. The Cycle of Doubt

**Chapter Four: The Cycle of Doubt**

Ranma Saotome walked along the sidewalk with her hands in her pockets, looking down at the oily puddles of water. A sudden late afternoon shower had taken her by surprise; she had been out the door of the shop maybe five minutes before the hot, tense air had given way to it. Yet despite being wet, and having her curse activated, she walked with a surprising amount of ease. The ripping of the skies that lead to the rain, and lightning now, felt like such a release. All the tension she had been starting to feel, at their last week of High School and at the high air pressure that always came just before a rain shower for her, was fading. Now she could finish her walk in relative peace.

It had been a week now, since she had brought Akane back from the coma. Well, not quite; it was actually five days. Although there had been a lot of celebration at Akane being back, and in full health, there had been negative parts, too. Akane had to catch up on studies, and have the doctor write formal notes to the school, then she had to take exams while still feeling weak, to graduate. Ranma had never had any doubt that she could do it, though. Despite her weakness physically, her determination was back, and perhaps moreso then ever. There wasn't much that could slow down a determined Akane.

"Ranma! You're going to catch a cold, wait up!" she heard a familiar voice call from behind her. Stopping, Ranma turned on her heel, her red pigtail whipping her face as she watched Akane jog over to her, an unfurled umbrella in hand. Ranma's eyes widened.

"Hey, don't run, stupid, you're not supposed to be runnin' yet!" yelled Ranma, surprised to see her fiancée there, especially moving that fast. The doctor had told her to take it easy for at least two weeks; jogging in a rainstorm was definitely not something she should be doing.

"Well I wouldn't have to run if you'd wait for me! Honestly," said Akane, shaking her head and stopping. Ranma dashed over to her, and let Akane hold the umbrella over them. She narrowed her eyes as the now taller girl sneezed.

"Ya still shouldn't be doing it. It's not like I knew you were there, anyway. I thought you were gonna go meet Yuki and Megumi?" asked Ranma. Now that school was over, they had a short break until their actual graduation ceremony. Akane had been spending time with her school friends a lot, who seemed quite eager to take her away from Ranma now that she was out of the coma. It left Ranma feeling jealous, protective, and uncomfortable with both the emotions, and Akane being away.

"I was, but when I got to Yuki's, there was a note on her door for me. Her Aunt had shown up, unannounced, about an hour before I got there, to take her on a weekend trip. For graduation. She's so lucky, having a rich Aunt that spoils her...Megumi was already there, and she went too," said Akane, her voice giving away feelings of rejection. Ranma nodded, though felt relieved at she hadn't been dragged along with them. Although not quite as overprotective as the previous week, Ranma was still nervous about letting her out of sight for too long. Especially after the doctor's warning.

A bolt of lighting pierced through the sky then, white and blue and electric, and they both craned their necks to look. A crash of drum-like thunder soon roared after it, the sound no doubt echoing throughout the city. It was so loud and sudden that afterwards the drops of rain falling on the umbrella sounded lonely, and small by comparison.

Ranma thought she had seen Akane flinch, if just slightly, at the sound of the thunder. But when she looked back at her, Akane's face was calm and together.

_Akane's not scared of thunder...maybe it just made her nervous, so sudden like that..._

"How'dja know I was here?" Akane shrugged.

"I was lucky. You're on your way back to the house, right?" She shifted her balance forward to suggest they should continue.

"Oh. Yeah, I am."

They watched as another bolt of lightning lit up the sky. The gray, thick clouds, were shown in almost as much detail as the sun could provide, when it wasn't hidden.

Akane nodded, and they began walking again, Ranma dripping and squeezing the water out of her red shirt, then pigtail. The pants and shoes she didn't worry about yet, as she couldn't easily walk and deal with those at the same time.

Looking over at Akane, she noticed the girl seemed thoughtful. Pensive even. But she wasn't sure whether or not she should question it. Despite that she did seem happy since getting back, Akane would occasionally go through quiet, somber moods. Moods marked by just this look. If they were at the house, Ranma would just let her alone with her thoughts, but here they were walking now. She didn't think Akane wanted her gone, either; the girl HAD run up to her just so she could cover her wet head with an umbrella.

_Or was that all there was to it? Maybe she got lonely, after her friends left..._

"You never did tell me the rest of it," Akane said finally, having to raise her voice as the rain pattered louder on their umbrella.

"The rest of what?"

"That...day. Of the curse. The voice didn't really start talking to me until after you left the Nekohanten. You never told me what happened, after I was hit." Ranma realized she was right. She had meant to tell her; while Akane was out, she had thought about it often, wanting to get her opinions on plans as they formed, then were rejected, then formed, then were rejected. Even now, after so long of being able to cool down, her aura bristled at the memories. Even as they were slowly fuzzing and blurring, it was enough to dampen her mood.

"What's to tell? Gosunkugi hit you, then Shampoo, then–" She stopped as Akane turned wide eyed to look at Ranma.

"Is that why the Nekohanten is closed? Shampoo was wounded?" Her voice was more tinged with curiosity then actual concern for the girl. Smirking ruefully, Ranma continued.

"She was knocked out, but not for long...she, uh...dammit, I'm gonna haftah backtrack, here."

"Fine, fine. Just don't leave out anything, okay?"

"Okay." Ranma took a breath, then began anew. "Shampoo and Mousse were out to kill Gosunkugi, while Ukyo and Ryoga were out to find him. But Ukyo didn't let anyone else know until after Gosunkugi accidently attacked."

"Why did they want to kill him? And why did Gosunkugi attack?"

"Dunno about Shampoo and Mousse, probably some sorta stupid vengeance thing. Ya know, he hurt me, so she wanted to hurt him. Permanently. And, uh, attack wasn't the best choice of words. He...lost control."

"I see. Go on."

"When you were gettin' your aura back...I sensed somethin'. An aura, on the other side of the wall. I was sure it was gonna come in, it was just so...pissed. I wanted to get Ukyo's attention, so she could help me barricade the door. But...my shoutin' and jumpin' distracted curse-boy. That's when you were hit," said Ranma shamefully, though trying to hide it. Akane just nodded, oddly passive.

"After that...Gosunkugi turned to the door, just as Shampoo opened it, and his aura was still out. It hit her, knocked her out. I don't actually know how long for, but I heard in school that the Nekohanten closed that night, and Shampoo, Mousse and Cologne left town. Cologne wants Shampoo to go through some weird Amazon punishment that'll take a coupla months, and Cologne is putting herself through somethin' as well. Somethin' about Shampoo not being a woman yet, and it being Cologne's fault."

Akane shivered as they walked, though didn't look incredibly disturbed by the prospect. Ranma wanted to be able to read her face, and found she could not; Akane was closed to her right now, for whatever reason.

"Kuno's been avoiding me...us...and so has Gosunkugi," commented Akane, and Ranma realized that it was actually a question.

"Kuno and Kodachi still have the curse that makes 'em hate us. But their memories are okay, and they have their auras." Ranma paused to lick her dry lips. "Gosunkugi...I, uh, told him to leave ya alone." Ranma moved her hands up to brush still damp hair off of her forehead and cheeks. A wind had picked up, causing the rain to sprinkle lightly on their faces, and Akane adjusted the umbrella to an angle.

"You just told him? That's it?" asked Akane, raising an eyebrow at Ranma.

"Yeah," she said, not liking the disbelief in Akane's voice.

"Right. Hmm..."

They made it home in time for supper; Kasumi had kept a kettle of hot water on the stove since the rain had started, in anticipation that Ranma may get back from his walk to the comic shop female. Once changed and dried off, they ate supper with the usual chatter. Kasumi asking about the food and passing out seconds, Akane's father reading the paper and making light conversation, Nabiki watching tv as she ate. It was still raining when they finished, and Ranma got up to go to the sitting room to watch tv. Akane followed him wordlessly, and they made themselves comfortable in the large room.

The sound of the tv was barely able to overpower the rain and thunder from outside, despite that Ranma had turned it up fairly loud. The show, some sort of boxing drama, wasn't very interesting anyway. He kept finding his mind wandering, and his body was restless. Akane seemed restless herself, but he knew why she was. She wasn't allowed to train; she had complained about it, loud and often, and probably would again many times before she was allowed to practice the art. Looking at her from the corner of his eye, he could see her fists ball up, and see the twitch of her arm as she unconsciously imitated the characters on screen. A light shone in her eye, and her brows were creased, focused. Although he was tempted to comment, he held his tongue; he knew perfectly well what it felt like to not be able to fight, and understood Akane's frustration. She'd just get mad at him if he said anything, and no doubt break the doctor's rules so she could hit him.

As he looked though, he was suddenly reminded of the image of Akane while they had been in the dream world. Maybe it was the determined look in her eye, or the way she was fighting against something, but he found himself further cowed because of it. He had felt...different, then. Not that he wanted to take back anything that was said or done there, but it had been a confusing time. They had said they loved each other, for one. Didn't that change people? Yet here they were, sitting, virtually unchanged.

_Probably just built it up in my head to be something different...the shrimp-me was wrong...it didn't matter..._

"Is something wrong Ranma?" asked Akane suddenly, turning to face him. Realizing that he had stopped just looking, and had instead been starring, he averted his eyes, leaning back to rest on his hands in what he hoped to be a casual pose.

"Just thinkin'."

"What about?"

"Huh? Oh. Nothin'."

Akane sighed, and rolled her eyes.

"This again?" she asked, and he was reminded of their argument in the dream world. Gritting his teeth, Ranma shook his head, looking away from her.

"Nah, it's not that. I was just...thinking about that place, where I went to get you," he said, his voice coming out wistful.

_She can take that however she likes..._

"Oh. Right, that...place." The show they were watching ended, and another one began, the sounds of the narrator filling the room with a buzz of unheard words on top of an opening theme song. Glancing over quickly, he saw that Akane was now looking at her fists, planted on her knees.

_She's thinkin' something..._

"What about you?"

"Huh?" Her head was tilted as she looked at him, but her eyes seemed to be hiding something.

"You look like you're thinkin'," he finished, and watched as she took on a more closed posture. Her arms crossed beneath her breast, and she tilted her head forward, allowing a few bangs to fall around her eyes.

"You said that...Shampoo is gone. For a few months," she said slowly, and Ranma was silent, waiting for her to continue. When she didn't, he allowed her words to sink in.

_Shampoo's gone. Akane's hesitant about something, and she's...oh. Oh._

"We finished. Kinda." Ranma's tongue felt fat in his mouth.

"This wasn't some contest, or race, or challenge. This was us, preparing." Sighing, Ranma shifted his position to face her, sitting a few paces away from him.

"I know, I know. All the same...we're done," he said, and let the words hang in the air. Nothing about the situation felt done. Shampoo was coming back, Akane was still healing, and not once had they mentioned marriage to each other since they had returned. Their fathers had, more then once, but that had been ignored by the two.

"True. But, what do we do now? I mean..." Obvious nervousness stopped her words. He suppressed an unfamiliar urge to comfort, and instead looked at the tv. There was a couple on it, sitting at a fancy table in a restaurant, eating a meal. They were talking to each other animatedly, but something looked very fake about it. Shaking his head, he grabbed the remote and turned the tv off.

_No time for distractions._

"We finished school, so now, we..." But like Akane, he wasn't able to finish. Instead he looked away uselessly, and sighed.

"Get married?" asked Akane, and the bluntness of her question made him cringe. Her sudden eyes on him, penetrating and probing, made his heart beat faster with nervousness. An urge to flee filled him, but he stayed it. Barely.

"I, uh...well...," he stuttered, and watched as Akane shook her head, her eyes losing the power that had been in them a second ago. "Hey. Wait, it's not like that. I mean...it's just so..."

"Rushed? I suppose, though we've been engaged for over two years."

"And official for maybe two months at most. Akane, I..." He stopped when he realized he had no idea what he was going to say. Raising an eyebrow, she looked at him crossly now, her hands still in fists.

"Don't tell me you're still all wishy-washy about this? With all of our preparing? I even told you near the start, if you wanted out, we could put this off. But you didn't want to put it off. You went through with it."

He shuffled uncomfortably on the floor, his face warming as the conversation slowly turned into an argument. But what could he tell her? He knew how he felt, but that didn't mean he knew what to do. Marriage was...is... Marriage could be...he didn't even know. Marriage was something that so many people seemed to want, usually with him for some reason, but really it was just binding two people together. Wouldn't they stay together anyway, if they liked each other? But he forced his arguments down as he watched his fiancee, looking like a tiger ready to pounce if he said the wrong thing.

"I ain't wishy-washy."

"Well you certainly sound it."

"Yeah? Well in that case, what do YOU want?" It was satisfying to see her pause, blink, then watch the anger fade out of her face. At least, it was satisfying until the expression changed to being sad and indecisive. Frowning, his hand suddenly ached to comfort again, but he stayed it, waiting for her to reply.

"Akane?"

"I want...to be like this. To live, with you in my life," she began slowly, her voice sounding much calmer now. "But...I don't want to force you into anything you don't want to do. That would be just like our fathers." Ranma found himself nodding, the sound of the rain outside barely a noise he could hear now. All his attention was on Akane, as she slowly released her fists and wiped sweaty palms on her pant legs.

"Do you want that too?" she asked, looking both incredibly sad and cute. Ranma found himself gulping, and nodded.

"Yeah..." A small smile appeared on Akane's face when he answered, but it melted quickly.

"So then...what do we do?"

Ranma found his mind suddenly wandering, between thoughts of Shampoo coming back to reclaim him, to the idiocy they'd have to put up with from their fathers if they told them they were getting married, to the wedding itself, and wondering what they would do after that. Irritably, he realized part of his concerns were what others would think of him; of them. It bothered him, and suddenly he remembered his initial plan, for them to get married then just runaway somewhere for a while. Run, and hide from Shampoo.

_Yeah, like complete wimps...though it'd make Shampoo look pretty stupid..._

"Hey." He needed her opinion on a thought that had just creeped into his head.

"Yes?" she asked, clearly hearing the change in his tone.

_But we wouldn't be doing it just to get away from Shampoo...we'd be doing it...to..._

"What wouldja think, if I asked you to...go on a trip. With me. After graduation?"

The sound of the rain was suddenly much louder outside, and he felt an oddly pleasant chill crawl up his arms when he saw Akane slowly, questioningly, smile.

* * *

><p><em>Eight days later...<em>

It was still roughly three hours before the sun was due to rise. Everyone in the Tendo household was long asleep, the earliest due to wake up maybe two hours after the sun. All the lights in the windows were out, all the appliances meant only for the daytime shut off, and all noise was quieted. Except for the minimal noise created by the youngest Tendo daughter, and the only son of the Saotome's.

Akane still couldn't believe she was doing this. But here she was, penning the note at her desk, and making sure to pin it firmly to her covers on her now properly made bed. She had barely slept in it that night, she had been so anxious. Excited too, of course, and worried, and unbelieving that she was doing this. That they were doing this. But they were, and now she blew out the flame of the small candle on her desk. It had made just enough light for her to gather any last minute things, and write the note. Now she was ready, and they were really leaving. They would come back, of course, but...

"Goodbye," she said softly, aimed towards her door. After one quick squeeze of her curtains, she opened her window and carefully slipped out. Ranma was down there somewhere, she knew. Waiting for her. Closing the window as much as she could before jumping, she leapt over to the tree near her window, making more noise then she intended to on the way down. When she hit the ground, though, Ranma was there, giving her a nasty look for making so much noise while at the same time holding her up, as though she couldn't stand properly.

"I'm okay," she said in a hushed voice, though she did feel her knee ache slightly. She had only been back on training and martial arts for three days. This first walk ahead of them was going to be purposefully short, for that reason, and Ranma had almost wanted to put off the whole thing. But Akane hadn't wanted it put off. The idea was good, and had potential, and she knew if they put it off that she may soon doubt it. So instead, they were now outside, crouching towards some bushes, pulling out the packs they had hidden earlier that day that were filled with food, clothing, cooking tools, and other necessary provisions for their trip. Akane strapped hers on quickly, testing it's weight on her shoulders, bending her knees. She was dressed for traveling as well, wearing beige cargo pants and a light, green t-shirt. Instead of shoes she wore a pair of sturdy, leather boots that felt strangely comfortable despite that they were fairly new and not worn-in.

Her heart was beating a mile a minute, and despite being excited, she was having a hard time calming her fears. What if someone saw them? What if they were followed? What if they didn't get to the dock on time to catch the boat?

"Ready?" she heard Ranma ask from her right. Looking at him, and the determination in his eyes that was only lit barely by the porch light a few meters away, she wondered if he had any fears. If he had any worries, or doubts. But as she scanned his face, she saw that she couldn't see any. If he did have doubts, he hid them well.

Akane allowed herself to smile, and pushed back her fears. They could do this, and they would do this. Nothing was going to hold her back now. Nothing.

"Ready."

Letting him take her hand in his, they walked through the front gate, quietly setting off on their journey out of town.

* * *

><p>Kasumi frowned as she looked at the door to her youngest sister's room, and wondered if the girl was still sleeping. Wasn't she going to come down for lunch? It may have been a day for sleeping in, what with no school to go to and no job, but Akane was never this lazy. Even on the weekends she rose early for her jog, and her training, and certainly for breakfast. That had also been missed.<p>

"Come to think of it...Ranma was also absent from breakfast. But Mr. Saotome said he probably just went out for a jog. Still...Ranma does not miss breakfast. It would be odd...unless..." Curious, she knocked on Akane's door, her eyes going to the cute duck plaque that said her name in english letters. Carefully, she turned the knob, pushing the door open.

"Akane? Akane are you in there, sleepyhead?" she asked, her voice pleasant in case the girl really was still sleeping. When there was no answer after a moment, she opened the door further. The sight before her, as she stepped into the room, was baffling. Akane's bed was made, and her room was tidy except for an abandoned sock that lay near her dresser. Kasumi quickly picked it up, meaning to take it to the laundry bin as she left.

Walking around the room, she looked at her sister's desk, then her dresser, then her bed, her head tilting as she saw the note. She quickly unpinned it, a hand unconsciously going to her mouth as she started to read.

"Oh my..." she said, a small, knowing smile gracing her face as she read her sister's familiar, messy handwriting:

~Ranma and I are going on a trip. We can't tell you where we're going, or when we'll be back, because honestly we aren't completely sure yet. However, we'll send letters from time to time, and we will be back sometime. Everything is just so complicated at home in Nerima, right now. We need time, and we need space, and we need freedom. Dad, please don't cry, I can take care of myself remember. Besides, I have Ranma with me. Mr. and Mrs. Saotome, Ranma didn't want to leave you a note because he didn't know what to say. Don't worry about us either, though, I'll keep Ranma in line. Kasumi, Nabiki...take care. You'll hear from us soon.

Oh, before I forget...in a few months, Shampoo will probably come looking for us. For this reason, we're not going to let you know where we are. We're tired of running from everything, being at home. I know, it looks like we're running away now, but we're not. Not really. We're taking a vacation, and once we figure out some things, we'll come back. I hope Shampoo doesn't cause too much trouble; if you need to, try and convince her that we've gone to Africa. That should give her something to do for a while, and get her out of your hair.

Don't worry about us,  
>Akane Tendo~<p>

"Father! Nabiki!" Kasumi walked quickly out of the room, the paper gently crinkling in her hand as she went downstairs to tell them the news. She had a feeling something like this was coming, but hadn't expected it so soon.


	23. News From Afar

**Chapter Five: News From Afar**

_Four months later..._

"Girls! Mr. Tendo! Dear! We have another letter from Akane and Ranma. And a postcard, from those other two," said Mrs. Saotome cheerily as she walked into the dining room. They had been receiving the letters at least once every two weeks for quite a while now, and generally one person would read it aloud to everyone else once it was received, before Mr. Tendo stored them in a box in his private room. The letters were never very long, though. However the frequency, and regularity, was more important to her then the amount said. As long as the letters came regularly, she knew they were alright, and not so distracted that they forgot about their families.

The postcards had started arriving not long after Akane and Ranma had left, and were curious. She didn't know the two who wrote them, but they came almost as frequently as the letters, and the rest of the family knew well enough who they were. Friends of Ranma and Akane; Ukyo and Ryoga. Their postcards often came with packages of food, or souvenirs, as did this time. She had left the large box at the door, not wanting to drag it in herself.

"Oh, good. Would you please read them to us, Mrs. Saotome?" asked Kasumi as the others turned to Nadoka. Nabiki was leaning against a wall, pretending not to look interested. Her own husband and Mr. Tendo had stopped playing Go long enough to look over, but were still sitting near the board, not trusting each other enough to walk away.

Sitting down at the table, she put the postcard down for now, and opened the letter first. Even the stamp on the envelope didn't give them away; they had a friend somewhere in Japan that they were sending the letters to first, and after that it was sent to them in a different envelope. Nadoka had suspected it was actually Dr. Tofu, but never voiced her thoughts. Ranma and Akane wanted their privacy, and she wasn't one to try and take it away.

"It looks like Akane wrote this time. Ranma's writing is usually clearer, but he doesn't say much when he does write. Hmm...she says, "We're still in the same town as the last letter, and we've had a stroke of luck. After all our time traveling, and searching, and trying to find a decent job, we have found a dojo that is willing to give us work for a few months. It was recently challenged, and all three of the Master's top students were wounded. The Master, Tomo Jinsuke, needed help teaching the other students, and Ranma happened to see the listing in the local newspaper. At first he was hesitant to take us in, especially since Ranma accidently kicked a hole in the side of the dojo. But we fixed it, and both of us took on the Master, barely defeating him. I suspect he went easy on us near the end, though. He hired us right then, and we've been working for about a week now. We're staying in an apartment in his house, on the upper floor. It's small, but cozy, and we're happy with what we've got. I'm looking into classes at the local college, but for now teaching and fighting is taking up most of our time. We hope that you're all doing well, and Ranma sends his love. Well, he didn't actually say that, but that doesn't matter. Take care." Then she signed her name at the bottom. Oh, she got Ranma to sign it too. How nice," commented Nadoka, passing the note along to Kasumi.

"A dojo, is it? I wonder what sort of martial art they practice," said Mr. Tendo, rubbing his chin. He was getting a lot calmer about the whole ordeal; for the last two letters, he hadn't even cried until the letter was passed on to him. She suspected he would this time, as well, but his calm as the letter was being read showed that he was slowly starting to accept that Akane and Ranma had run away together, and were actually alright. Nadoka just wished, for herself, that they would give some sort of indication as to when they would come back.

"If my son writes the next one, he'll tell us. Fighting is his life, after all," commented Mr. Saotome, with an air of pride. Nadoka nodded, then picked up the postcard. It had a picture of a large, red leaf on the back of it. Looking at it curiously, she turned it around, scanning the handwriting. The boy had written first; below, the girl had written as well, in a different coloured pen.

"Alright, Ryoga starts first here. "Dearest Akane...and Ranma. Ukyo and I have crossed into Iceland. It's an odd place here, though the people are friendly. They speak two languages, neither being Japanese. Luckily though, Ukyo knows enough English to get us by, and I'm slowly learning some too. I hope you're both doing okay...I'm sorry if we missed the wedding already, but Ukyo insists that we can't leave yet. Her okonomiyaki is so popular here that she's talked at least three times of opening a chain. I know she doesn't mean it though. I've heard her mutter more about how much she misses home, and can't wait to get back to Japan when the tourist season is over. Oh, they make a lot of something called maple syrup here, it's really good, especially on cakes and breakfast food. We sent lots, so enjoy. I'm going to let her write now." Then he signed it Ryoga Hibiki. Iceland? Hmm, they've gone a long ways from home. He doesn't say much about it, though. Well, onto Ukyo. "Dear Ranma-honey...and Akane. We are not in Iceland. Ryoga is glaring at me, and shaking his head, because he is in denial. We could have been in Iceland, if we had gone west, but we didn't. We went east. Of course, if we continued going east for long enough, we'd be in Iceland, but we'd have to go east a long, long way. Don't believe Ryoga. Anyway, since the last postcard, we left Russia, heading through some very cold islands on a small helicopter into a place called Alaska. Why were we on the helicopter? Well...I promised Ryoga that I would never speak of it, but when we get back, I might tell you if he says it's okay. Either way, you know that country above the USA, that's always on that channel that goes on about places to visit? Canada? We're there, now, in a province called Alberta. Canadians really seem to love their okonomiyaki. Japanese food is a trend lately, for some reason. Anyway, I'm running out of space. Enjoy the maple syrup." She signed her name Ukyo Kuonji," said Nadoka, with a small smile, "Canada. A friend of mine went there, once, I think."

"It sounds like they're also having a wonderful time," commented Kasumi, taking the postcard and reading it. She had already passed the letter on to Nabiki, who was reading it slowly, a smile on her face.

"Indeed. I wonder what Akane and Ranma will think of all the postcards, when they get back," said Nadoka, standing up and walking towards the kitchen.

_No forwarding address, no phone number, no calls...kids these days. Or are they kids, anymore?_

However Nadoka found herself smiling as she picked up the dirty dishes around the counter and put them into the sink for washing.

"Well...you're only young once. I Wouldn't want to make them feel rushed."

Humming a tune, she began her wash, silently thinking back to her own adventures when she was young. It had seemed so long ago, and yet...but she didn't let herself dwell. It was Ranma's turn for the unpredictable enthusiasm of youth, and she didn't want to deny him of it by even the slightest. They were happy, they were safe, and they were well. When it came down to it, that's all that they could hope for. Who needed anything else, at their age? The wedding and life at the dojo could wait. It would wait, too, for as long as they needed.

"Ranma...Akane...take care of each other." said Nadoka silently. Then she went back to her humming, basking in the light of the sun piercing through the kitchen window. She hoped it was a sunny day wherever it was they were, too.


End file.
